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Brussels is trying ahead to receiving Kiev’s solutions to the union membership questionnaire, the EU Fee head says
The way forward for Europe is that of Ukraine as nicely, the European Fee head, Ursula von der Leyen, told the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Monday, including that the “subsequent web page” within the historical past of the bloc might be written by Ukrainians.
The EU Fee chief stated Brussels is trying ahead to receiving Ukraine’s solutions to the membership questionnaire. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Kiev had submitted the 5,000-page doc to the EU.
The fee goals to ship its opinion on the matter in June, von der Leyen tweeted.
Nonetheless, French President Emmanuel Macron, who was additionally current on the European Parliament session, warned that Kiev shouldn’t anticipate speedy accession to the bloc. “Even when we gave them [Ukraine] candidate standing tomorrow… everyone knows completely nicely that the method of permitting them to affix would take a number of years… a number of many years,” he stated.
Earlier in Might, an analogous thought was expressed by Austria’s EU affairs minister, Karoline Edtstadler, who stated Ukraine’s accession to the EU was unlikely to occur “within the subsequent 5 to 10 years.”
The French chief stated he opposes the concept of the bloc decreasing its “stringent” requirements simply to permit some nations to affix sooner. As an alternative, he advised establishing one other format that might contain these aspiring to affix the EU and, in an obvious reference to the UK, these nations which have already left it.
“It’s our historic obligation… to create what I might describe earlier than you right this moment as a European political group,” Macron stated, including that this new “group” would permit “democratic European nations” to cooperate within the fields of politics, safety, vitality, transport, funding, and infrastructure. The French president argued that the EU can’t stay Europe’s solely organizing physique, “given its degree of integration and ambition.” He didn’t elaborate, nonetheless, on the format this new group would have.
Each Macron and von der Leyen have additionally advocated for altering EU treaties. “We have to reform our texts – it’s apparent,” the French president stated. Von der Leyen argued that “unanimity voting” ought to grow to be a factor of the previous “if we wish to transfer quicker,” because it “now not is smart” in sure areas.
We have to go even additional.For instance, I’ve at all times argued that unanimity voting in some key areas now not is smart, if we wish to transfer quicker.Europe also needs to play a higher position in well being or defence. pic.twitter.com/Tdeg6jIcWw
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 9, 2022
The concept, nonetheless, confronted criticism from EU members that stated now is just not the time for “institutional discussions,” and known as any potential treaty modifications “unconsidered and untimely.” These opposing the initiative included Denmark, Sweden, Poland, the Czech Republic, and the Baltic states.
Thanks for democratic debate & inspiring concepts at #CoFE 🗳💡 However 🇧🇬🇨🇿🇭🇷🇩🇰🇪🇪🇫🇮🇱🇻🇱🇹🇲🇹🇵🇱🇷🇴🇸🇮🇸🇪 towards unconsidered & untimely Treaty change. Europe should ship actual outcomes. No time for institutional discussions! 📣 #eudkpic.twitter.com/JgpmAxxTG4
— Denmark within the EU (@DKinEU) May 9, 2022
Ukraine submitted the primary a part of the questionnaire in mid-April. In assessing membership bids, the European Fee evaluates every little thing from the nation’s financial efficiency to the authorized system, together with environmental laws and agricultural practices. This course of can take many years – Turkey has, for instance, been a candidate since 1999.
Full membership can be depending on the unanimous consent of EU member states.
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