By Martin Banks - 12th October 2011
The lack of development elsewhere has been regrettable
Stefan Füle
EU commissioner Stefan Füle says that EU enlargement policy has led to "profound transformation" in candidate countries.
Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, the official praised the efforts of countries like Croatia in satisfying the criteria necessary for EU accession.
Füle, who is responsible for the enlargement portfolio, also voiced concern about the "regrettable" lack of progress in accession negotiations in some countries.
Füle said, "It has been another important year for enlargement and some countries, notably Croatia, have made good progress in their accession negotiations with the EU.
"But the lack of development elsewhere has been regrettable."
The official was updating parliament's foreign affairs committee on the accession of nine candidate countries, including Croatia, Iceland and Macedonia.
He said that the protracted problems between Turkey and the Greek community in Cyprus was an example of "potential problems" in the EU accession negotiations.
However, he went on, "I appeared before this same committee a year ago to talk about the credibility of EU enlargement policy.
"After the progress we have seen in the last year I think I can say that our policy really is credible and one which also delivers real results."
Füle said that "thanks to the policy" several accession states had now reached the "highest level of readiness" for membership of the EU.
He added, "This is something that benefits both the EU and the member states themselves.
"There has been a profound transformation in these states thanks to the accession process."
Improvements, he said, included transformation to a "modern society" and the countries "embracing the values which are at the heart of the EU".
He said that of the nine candidate countries featured in the commission report, Croatia stood out as having made most progress in the past year.
He said the enlargement process had "provided stability in these regions" and led to the creation of a "large economic space" and increased "human capital".
Turning to the individual country-by-country reports, Füle said, "There has been some progress but this is a long-term project which requires further work."
He also announced what he called a "new approach" to future accession negotiations, saying the chapters, or policy areas, on judicial affairs and fundamental rights, would be dealt with at an earlier stage in the accession process.
