No 'Big Bang' EU enlargement


Rules "already set" for EU expansion

By Robin Oakley, CNN.com Europe political editor

DAVOS, Switzerland (CNN) -- There is no prospect of a "Big Bang" acceleration of European Union enlargement, the World Economic Forum in Davos has been told.

Nor is there any question of Russia becoming a member in the foreseeable future.

Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov on Saturday raised the prospect of enlargement being accelerated with a "Big Bang" process to admit 12 applicant countries in 2004.

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But, when pressed, the European Commissioner for Enlargement Gunter Verheugen said that it was too late for that.

He said the process had begun with different rules and they could not be changed now.

Every applicant member, said Verheugen, had to qualify fully for EU membership and there was no question of any country that qualified being held back to wait for others.

As for Russian membership, that was not being sought by President Putin. "The question of Russian membership is definitely a non-issue."

In a comment which will alarm countries like Denmark and the UK, Verheugen said enlargement would strengthen the cause of those wanting a more integrated Europe because most applicants were "strongly integration-minded."

Migration fears

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Some existing EU members have been worrying about an influx of cheap labour across their borders following enlargement, with the next big wave expected in 2005.

Chancellor Schroeder of Germany has called for a seven-year restriction on full freedom of movement for the workers in some applicant countries.

Verheugen sought to play down the issue, saying that the very process of preparing for membership strengthened the home economies of applicant countries.

Migration, he said, would be a "limited problem" and if necessary, transitional arrangements would be implemented in good time.

Polish president Aleksander Kwasniewski took a similar line, saying that the problem of migration was overestimated.

Waves of emigration from Poland had only followed political turbulence, wars or economic crises.

He had spoken to Mr Schroeder about the problem: "I believe we can find a good compromise." Verheugen said that a European Council meeting in a fortnight was likely to set out the ground rules for Turkey's application for membership.

He expected a favourable reaction from Ankara and then when Turkey began the process of political reform discussions could begin.

Verheugen, who now sees enlargement in general as "a high-speed train" has said that Turkey must be patient.

He wants an "honest and credible" policy on Turkey, where many EU members are demanding big human rights reforms, but believes that the country's admission to the EU would be of great advantage, given its key strategic position.

Mesut Yilmaz, Turkey's deputy prime minister, has told delegates in Davos that if Europe is to be a global player in future it will need Turkey.