Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

This Bill amends the European Communities Act 1972 and enables certain parts of the treaty providing for the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic to the European Union to become part of the domestic law of the State, once Ireland ratifies the treaty.

The passage of the Bill, together with the passage of a motion in the Dáil approving the accession treaty, are the major steps required to enable Ireland to ratify the treaty of accession. As Senators may already be aware, accession negotiations began in 1998 with Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovenia. In February 2000, negotiations opened with Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Romania and Slovakia. Accession negotiations were completed with ten of these countries, excluding Bulgaria and Romania, at the Copenhagen European Summit on 12 and 13 December 2002.

The accession treaty for these ten countries was signed by the Heads of State and Government in Athens on 16 April 2003. Since signature of the treaty, they have become non-voting participants in most Council and European Parliament meetings and in the Convention on the Future of Europe. Accession will take place on 1 May 2004, during the Irish Presidency, following ratification by the member states and by the acceding countries. That will be a defining moment for Europe and for Ireland's Presidency.

All member states and acceding countries have undertaken to complete ratification procedures by 30 April 2004. To come into effect, the treaty must be ratified by all of the current member states. However, should one or more of the acceding countries fail to ratify it, the treaty provides for adjustment or lapsing of provisions applicable to that country and the remaining countries can accede. To date, Cyprus, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Denmark have completed all ratification procedures. Each of the acceding states, excluding Cyprus, which ratified by legislative procedure, has held a referendum on accession. The Government warmly welcomes the passage of all of these referenda which were clearly supported by the public in these countries by convincing majorities, in some cases in excess of 75%. There can be no doubt that this enlargement constitutes one of the most exciting and positive developments since the foundation of the EEC in 1957. On 1 May next year, it will be Ireland's privilege, during our Presidency of the Union, to welcome the acceding states as old friends but new partners. These countries have made great efforts to qualify for membership and have earned the respect of their European brothers and sisters while taking their rightful place at the Union table.