LOC20:52
17:52 GMT
BRUSSELS, Nov 9 (KUNA) -- The European Commission released here Tuesday its
annual enlargement reports which includes the current state of preparations,
the challenges ahead, and the way forward for Western Balkan countries, Turkey
and Iceland.
Presenting the report in a press conference this evening, EU Commissioner
for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Stefan Fulle said "despite
overall progress in 2009, we are concerned that Turkey's accession process is
losing its momentum."
"The key to changing this is primarily with Turkey, which is expected to
fully implement its current contractual relations with the EU - the Customs
Union - before it it can gear up to full membership of the Union," he said.
The report concluded that Turkey has made progress in meeting EU membership
criteria, in particular through the reform of its constitution.
However, it noted that further results are needed as regards fundamental
rights, in particular to assure freedom of expression in practice.
Full implementation of the obligations under the Customs Union and progress
towards normalisation of relations with Cyprus are needed before the country
can advance more vigorously in its accession negotiations, said the report.
Turkey began EU accession talks in 2005 but only 13 of the 33 areas of
negotiation - known as "chapters" - have been opened till now and only one
chapter completed.
The European Commission proposed candidate status for Montenegro, and
recommended that accession negotiations with Montenegro and Albania should be
opened once these countries have met a number of key conditions and priorities.
The EU's executive body confirmed that Croatia is entering the final phase
of its accession preparations.
Accession negotiations with Iceland were launched in July and Serbia's EU
membership application is being processed.
The European Commission renewed its 2009 recommendation that accession
negotiations with Macedonia should be opened, and reconfirmed the European
perspective for Bosnia Herzegovina and for Kosovo. (end)
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