EU summit: France isolated over ‘absorption capacity’

France has failed to convince its EU partners of the need for a more stringent assessment of the EU’s ‘absorption capacity’.

France’s view that the definition of the EU’s absorption capacity should cover the democratic, institutional, political and financial ability of the EU to absorb new members is not shared by the rest of the EU.

Some member states, including the UK, Italy, Sweden and Hungary, warned that France’s position would send the wrong signals to candidate countries.

Germany was more persuasive, arguing successfully that the defintion should be based primarily on the ability of the EU institutions to cope with further enlargements.

Paris has been trying to persuade other capitals to follow its lead on tougher enlargement criteria after French voters last year rejected the EU constitution, partly as a result of fears about enlargement to Turkey and the Balkans.

Only Cyprus backed France’s stance - because of its long-standing dispute with Turkey - although there was also support from Josep Borrell, president of the European parliament.

“It is impossible to keep adding new floors to the building without making sure the foundations are solid,” Borrell said.

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