Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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239. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which negotiations are ongoing to facilitate the enlargement of the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15704/22]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has always been, and will remain, a strong supporter of enlargement of the European Union, provided that candidate countries meet the necessary conditions for membership. We recognise the value of enlargement as a transformative driver for stability and peace in candidate countries. Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania, alongside Turkey, are all currently recognised as candidates for membership of the European Union.

The European Commission presented Member States with the main findings and recommendations of the seven country reports last October in their ‘Enlargement Package’. While situations vary from country to country, the report noted limited progress in the enlargement process overall due to both the impact of the pandemic and ongoing delays and blockages in the enlargement process. It also noted a general stagnation in progress in the crucial areas of fundamental rights and rule of law.

While technically remaining the two front-runners in terms of EU accession, there is general agreement within both Council and Commission that both Serbia and Montenegro need to increase the dynamism in their reform agenda. Serbia needs to accelerate its reforms regarding fundamental rights and the rule of law, and make significant progress in the normalisation of relations with Kosovo. More recently it has been noted that a stronger showing of support for EU values will be needed if Serbia is to advance its accession process.

In Montenegro, more intensive efforts in relation to freedom of expression, media freedom and the fight against corruption and organised crime are required. I have also urged intensified dialogue among all parties in Montenegro to address those issues currently giving rise to tensions within the country.

Both North Macedonia and Albania have clearly fulfilled the conditions necessary to commence accession negotiations. In our view, shared almost unanimously within the Council, the negotiating frameworks for both countries should be agreed and Intergovernmental Conferences held as soon as possible to start the accession process.

Although a candidate country and an important partner for the EU, accession negotiations with Turkey have stalled for a number of years and are likely to remain so until the government of President Erdogan makes sustained efforts to address some long-standing concerns regarding the internal human rights situation within Turkey and its respect for rule of law and observance of fundamental rights.

Currently, EU relations with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia are set within the framework of the Eastern Partnership. ‘Association Agreements’ and ‘Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements’ (DCFTAs) are in place with all three aimed at promoting deeper political ties, stronger economic links and ensuring respect for common values. While some progress has been made over the years towards closer integration with the EU, progress on reforms has been slow overall.

Following discussion at the informal European Council in Versailles on 10-11 March, the European Commission has been invited to provide their assessment of Ukraine’s preparedness for EU accession along with that of Moldova and Georgia which have also submitted applications to join the EU. This will be based on a number of criteria, primarily each country’s capacity to align with the EU acquis. Analysis of this level understandably takes time and in the past, it has taken up to three years for the Commission to revert to the Council with their opinion. Typically, the opinion will set out a number of deliverables to be fulfilled by the country, before it can be considered an official candidate country. Once the opinion is accepted by the Council, the country becomes a potential candidate country (similar to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo), entitling them to extra technical support and guidance under a stabilisation agreement with a view to boosting the country’s preparedness for accession.

Ireland will continue to support strongly the enlargement process and offer any practical assistance it can to candidate countries engaged in accession negotiations to the EU.