Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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63. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which he and his EU colleagues continue to influence positively the political situation in the western Balkans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40548/18]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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70. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position in regard to EU enlargement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40556/18]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 70 together.

Ireland is a strong supporter of the enlargement of the European Union to include the countries of the Western Balkans. We believe it is a transformative driver for stability and peace, and that it will enhance stability, political reform and economic growth. Providing the countries of the Western Balkans with a credible membership perspective is essential. Both the Taoiseach and Minister McEntee made this point when attending the EU-Western Balkans Summit on 17 May, and Minister McEntee re-iterated our support for enlargement at the June GAC prior to the issuing of Council Conclusions on Enlargement.

We share the EU’s view that considerable work remains to be done in all countries before accession can occur. Conditionality cannot be compromised and all criteria must be met. Comprehensive reforms are needed in crucial areas in each country, most notably on the rule of law, fundamental rights and good governance. Economic reform also requires progress. While we firmly support the European perspective of the six Western Balkan countries, Ireland has been clear that all benchmarks and criteria, particularly those relating to Chapters 23 and 24 of the acquis, which deal with issues relating to the rule of law, must be met before accession can be agreed. We are also clear that the EU cannot import instability; the six Western Balkan states must resolve all bilateral issues before they can become members of the EU.

Equally, we believe it is important that the candidate and potential candidate countries are supported and rewarded as they make progress on their respective European paths. For this reason, we support the increasing of the Instrument for Pre-Accession Funding (IPA) in the next Multi-Annual Financial Framework. Ireland also gives annual funding to the Regional Cooperation Council, which supports regional cooperation and connectivity across the Western Balkans. In addition, officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and our Embassies accredited to the region are working to strengthen our already warm bilateral relations with the accession countries, with Minister McEntee visiting Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina for various high-level meetings, including with their respective Foreign Ministers, earlier this year. These efforts reflect the increased importance that successive EU Presidencies are placing on the European perspective of the Western Balkans.

With regard to Turkey, Ireland has, together with our EU partners, expressed its serious concerns regarding the situation with respect to human rights, freedom of expression, rule of law, and democracy in the country. The EU still considers Turkey as a ‘key partner’, and it formally remains a candidate for EU membership, but given the current circumstances, the June 2018 Council conclusions on Enlargement noted that Turkey has been moving further away from the European Union, stating that accession negotiations have effectively come to a standstill and that no further chapters can be considered for opening or closing at this point in time. Neither is any further work towards the modernisation of the EU-Turkey Customs Union foreseen. Ireland supports this position and has stated that this situation will not change until Turkey begins to re-engage constructively with the Council of Europe and the EU, as we have urged them to do.