FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
While support for the enlargement process has grown among European Union member states, diplomats in Brussels have expressed fears that once enlargement discussions begin, enthusiasm for admitting new members may wane.
According to the current criteria, the countries that are less developed are net users of the EU common budget, while the richer ones are net contributors. If a calculation is made based on these criteria, then almost all current members, with the exception of Bulgaria, would pay more than the EU funds given to member states.
Cohesion policy and agriculture policy are two areas that traditionally take the largest part of the budget. These policies aim to reduce differences between member states, based on solidarity. Thanks to this policy, for example, the Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, has stated that when her country joined the EU, it had a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at the level of 48 percent of the bloc's average, whereas today the GDP is over 80 percent. However, other countries have also recorded an increase in Gross Domestic Product thanks to membership in the European bloc.
But, if the six states of the Western Balkans, together with Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, would enter the EU, then the EU average would fall significantly and as a result, some states that are currently members would not meet more criteria that enable them to benefit from the cohesion policy.
If a calculation is made - according to the current criteria - for the nine new member states, the EU would have to allocate 260 billion euros for the 7-year budget. Of this amount, 186 billion euros would go to Ukraine alone - due to the size of the territory it has, the low level of GDP per capita and the number of the population - while eight other countries would be available 74 billion euros.
These calculations were made by the EU Council services and included in an internal working document, which was leaked to the media. Although they did not want to comment on this document, in the EU they did not reject the reports about it either.
But, when they were asked about the expenses that the bloc may have after accepting new members, the European Commission said that "budget design cannot be automatically copied from the past and can change to adapt to new circumstances." .
However, in the EU they have said that the calls for the initiation of the necessary preparations for expansion also mean the initiation of discussions on the financial consequences. The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, has also stated this.
The EU has approved the budget framework until 2027. However, the new budget must also include new calculations to provide the necessary means for the admission of new member states.
Growing support for enlargement
Enlargement has become one of the main topics at high-level meetings in the EU, and support for this process has grown significantly.
Even at the last informal summit of the EU, many leaders, including the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said that "both the EU and the candidate countries must do their part to become ready for expansion".
However, the leaders of the bloc have said that the aspiring states should implement the required reforms, especially in the field of rule of law.
Disa liderë kanë thënë se viti 2030, të cilin e ka përmendur presidenti i Këshillit Evropian, Charles Michel, si afat për t’u bërë gati për zgjerim, është një shtytje e mirë politike. Por, për disa liderë të BE-së kjo datë duket tepër e largët e për të tjerët tepër e shpejtë.
Mbështetje për zgjerimin u dha edhe përmes Deklaratës së Grandës, që u miratua më 6 tetor. Në teksin e saj u tha se zgjerimi është një investim gjeostrategjik për paqe, siguri, stabilitet dhe prosperitet në kontinentin evropian. Sipas kësaj deklarate, zgjerimi do të zvogëlojë pabarazinë mes vendeve dhe do të forcojë vlerat mbi të cilat është ndërtuar BE-ja.
“Duke shikuar para drejt një blloku më të zgjeruar, si BE-ja ashtu edhe vendet e ardhshme anëtare, duhet të bëhen gati. Vendet aspirante duhet të përshpejtojnë punën e tyre në reforma, në veçanti në fushën e sundimit të ligjit, në përputhje me qasjen e zgjerimit sipas parimit të meritave individuale dhe me asistencë të BE-së. Paralelisht Union i duhet të vendos themelet për tu bërë ta bërë unionin gati për tu zgjeruar. Në do ti paraqesim ambiciet tona afatgjate dhe mënyrën se si ti arrimë ato”, u tha në deklaratë.
But this seems more political support caused by Russia's aggression in Ukraine, which has created a new political moment in Europe. This war, which Russia started in February of last year, has reminded that on the continent of Europe, freedom can no longer be taken for granted and that the enlargement of the EU is really an investment in peace and stability, and not only in market growth./ REL
Lini një Përgjigje