The Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomes the publication by the European Commission on 29th of May 2019 of the Annual EU Enlargement Package. The Commission’s Communication reconfirms the Union’s commitment to advancing the enlargement policy, based on the merits of the candidates and potential candidates, an objective that reflects the great importance given by Romania as the Presidency of the EU Council to this European policy that has proven its success and added value.
The Romanian Presidency of the EU Council welcomes, in this context, the contribution of the current European Commission through this latest Enlargement Package published in the current mandate to maintain enlargement policy among the priorities of the European agenda and to support partners in meeting the steps needed to advance this process.
Romania, as the Presidency of the EU Council, shares the European Commission’s approach to the transformative role of the European perspective and the role of enlargement policy as a long-term investment in ensuring peace, stability, economic development and security in Europe. In particular, we welcome the Commission’s emphasis in the Enlargement Package 2019 that enlargement policy corresponds to the Union’s own political, security and economic interests, as well as the highlighting of the need to respect the Union’s commitments in order to to strengthen the sustainability of positive processes occurred in the region.
Enlargement policy is a priority of the external dimension of the Romanian Presidency’s action at the EU Council, reflected also in its Work Program, being the most efficient instrument that has, over the years, succeeded in projecting European values in the neighbourhood of the European Union. In promoting this dossier, the European Commission is an important partner of the Romanian Presidency, in order to achieve the objectives set in relation to the partners in the region.
Among the most remarkable developments in the last year, noted by the European Commission Communication, are the Prespa Historical Agreement concluded between Republic of Northern Macedonia and Greece, illustrated as a clear proof of the attraction of the European idea that makes it possible to advance towards a common European stable and prosperous future. The Romanian Presidency of the EU Council, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, supports the need to consolidate these historical developments, by entering into a new phase, the use of the specific negotiating instruments for EU accession, so that their positive effect can continue to produce positive results across the region.
In this respect, the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council welcomes the recommendations made by the European Commission to open accession negotiations in the European Union of Republic of Northern Macedonia and Albania, which is a positive signal, and a decision in this respect is to be conveyed by the Member States, at the Council level.
Thereafter, the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council will pursue the adoption of the Council’s Conclusions on the Enlargement and the Stabilization and Association Process, based on the recommendations of the European Commission and in line with the decisions adopted at the CAG meeting of 26th of June 2018, with the objective of making progress and facilitating political decisions in relation to partners in the enlargement process.