site.btaCommissioner Kos: EU Enlargement Is One of Top Priorities of Current European Commission

The enlargement of the European Union is one of the top priorities of the current European Commission, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos told a news briefing here on Thursday emerging from a meeting with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov.

Marta Kos thanked Bulgaria for its support and active involvement in the processes in Southeast Europe. She said that she and Prime Minister Zhelyazkov had a very productive discussion on the current challenges facing the EU. She underlined that EU enlargement is one of the most important priorities of the current Commission. Because of the political circumstances, today more than ever we need to complete the unification of Europe to ensure sustainable peace and security on the continent. Enlargement is the most strategic policy and instrument and it is in the common interest of all Member States, the Commissioner said. She thanked Bulgaria for its support for the vision of the EU's future, including the Western Balkans, but also Ukraine and Moldova, and even Iceland.

Marta Kos said that the EU enlargement with the Western Balkans is already taking too much time, but stressed that the Commission seeks to speed up and simplify the negotiations. “This generation of European leaders is aware that uniting our continent is essential to ensure peace, security, freedom and prosperity for all Europeans.”

Fortunately, candidate countries are seizing the opportunities, such as Montenegro and Albania, and if they proceed, they will be ready for membership within the mandate of this Commission, the Commissioner predicted. And she voiced hope that the other countries in the region would be inspired and encouraged by this. The EC is seeking to speed up and simplify enlargement negotiations, but in parallel it is also working to speed up the phased integration into the single market and certain European policies, Marta Kos said. In her words, the main driver is the so-called Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, which gives financial incentives for important reforms. There are huge opportunities for business in the region, for tourism, for connectivity, especially if regional cooperation is done properly, Kos said. She gave as an example the so-called Green Lane border crossings in the Western Balkans, whose full implementation will help to reduce waiting times at borders by 50 to 70%, which will be especially important for businesses that want to invest closer to home.

Candidate countries are included in the integration phase in major initiatives of the European Commission such as the Competitiveness Strategy, the White Paper on Defence, the Internal Security Strategy in the EU, Kos said. According to her, this process is also beneficial for Bulgaria and its economy as it will promote trade and improve investment opportunities, as well as improve access to Central Europe.

Marta Kos said that European integration will first and foremost lead to stability and security in the region, because the world today is changing very fast and in times of new global security challenges, we can only defend our freedom, security and prosperity if our neighbours are with us. To be successful in this we need a mindset that overcomes the pain of the past and looks to the opportunities of the future, the Enlargement Commissioner said.