Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 114: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position in the matter of European enlargement and-or consolidation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2597/12]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The December General Affairs Council and the European Council considered the recommendations contained in the European Commission's Enlargement Strategy 2012 and Progress Reports, and adopted Conclusions on same. The Councils' saw important progress made on the EU enlargement portfolio. The Conclusions adopted highlighted, in particular, the transformative power of enlargement which helps generate far-reaching political and economic reform in the enlargement countries that in turn benefits the EU as a whole. They also noted that enlargement continues to reinforce peace, democracy and stability in Europe.

Of particular significance was the signature of the Accession Treaty with Croatia by the Heads of State or Government on 9 December and confirmation of an Accession date of 1 July 2013. With the signature of the Treaty, Croatia becomes an Acceding State, with interim privileges such as the right to attend Council meetings as an observer, until accession makes it a full member State. The Ratification process has now begun and Croatia is due to hold a referendum on EU membership on 22 January 2012. Croatia's progress towards full membership is a clear signal to other countries in the Balkans with a European Union vocation that the aspiration to membership can be realised. There are two countries currently negotiating for EU membership: Iceland and Turkey. Iceland continues to make good progress given its close alignment with much of the EU acquis due its membership of the EEA and Schengen. Its progress was commended by the Council. The Intergovernmental Conference with Iceland, held on 12 December 2011, saw a further five chapters opened, with four of these provisionally closed. 11 chapters out of 35 have now been opened with Iceland with 8 of these provisionally closed.

While no new chapters were opened with Turkey in 2011, the country is proceeding with reforms and the government plans a new Constitution, in part to bring it more in line with EU standards. The immediate prospect for further chapters to be opened is dependent on reforms which Turkey is required to carry out. Of course, Turkey's continued refusal to fulfil the terms of the Ankara Protocol and normalise relations with Cyprus remains a serious concern and a brake on progress in the accession negotiations.

The European Council also considered the Commission's opinion on Serbia's membership application which recommended that "the Council should grant Serbia the status of Candidate country taking into account progress achieved so far and on the understanding that Serbia re-engages in the dialogue with Kosovo and is moving swiftly to the implementation in good faith of agreements reached to date". However, the European Council deferred a decision on granting Serbia Candidate status to the February General Affairs Council and the March European Council, pending further progress on the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

A decision on whether to open enlargement negotiations with Montenegro, as recommended by the Commission, was similarly deferred to allow for the Commission to report on rule of law issues "with a view to opening accession negotiations in June". In the meantime, it was agreed to proceed with the drafting of a negotiating framework. Montenegro was granted Candidate status in December 2010 but the opening of negotiations was delayed until it was deemed to have made sufficient progress on seven key priorities identified by the Commission.

The other official Candidate is Macedonia, which was granted Candidate Status in 2005 (at the same time as Croatia and Turkey) but with whom negotiations have yet to open in the absence of progress on the name issue with Greece. The Council welcomed the progress made by Macedonia in key reform areas but noted that further efforts were needed in a number of areas, including the safeguard of fundamental rights and freedom of expression.