ENLARGEMENT - EU policy: Q&A
Thank you very much, Paula.
On enlargement, I think that's your portfolio, Guillaume.
I just wanted to change the topic quickly.
Yesterday, the Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin, said that there's broad support for gradual integration of new member states into the EU.
Is that a new policy of the EU? What does it mean in practice?
And does the Commission still intend to propose changes to the methodology of enlargement this year? Thanks.
Let's take one step back, about enlargement.
So from our side it's very clear the EU enlargement policy is more than ever,
a geostrategic investment in our long term prosperity, stability and security of our continent.
And since the start of this mandate, the President, and Commissioner Kos have been really clear, there's a clear momentum,
and we need to be calling on everyone actually to seize the opportunities of this momentum.
So enlargement delivers clear benefits both for the member states and aspiring member states, and it is also in this context that we need to see how it is fit for purpose,
meaning also in the geopolitical context, because now more than ever enlargement is also about security, so now.
As the president also said several times, we have one baseline when it comes to enlargement.
Enlargement is a merit-based process,
and the Commission will continue the discussions with the member states to see where we stand on the future of enlargement in a way. Mentioned the, the gradual integration. This is not something new per se.
We have been doing gradual integration with candidate countries for some time already.
It is a tool that we have to support, candidates and potential candidates.
On the accession path and really the idea is to bring tangible benefits to the citizens of candidate countries early on already in the context of EU accession process. We have different examples.
We have SEPA for instance, roaming and others.
These are very practical, concrete,
tangible examples that we can bring to the benefit of the citizens and also it really already brings the country.
Closer to the union and integrates them little by little, so for us it really demonstrates that in selected areas we can we can do more,
this said, gradual integration does not replace EU membership, so now we'll continue on this basis, but as I said this is not something new.
We have been working on this for some time. Other questions? No.
Still not to, not to, Guillaume then, Raziye, please.