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European Union (Accessions) Bill

There are criteria that must be adhered to. We look forward with interest to the Commission’s next report, which will be issued in the spring. It will contain the Commission’s latest guidance on the progress that has been made. However, recognising the legal requirements—the adoption of the acquis, for example, is necessary for all countries to become full members of the EU—does not diminish the further progress that can be made once countries are members. One needs to consider, for example, the continued economic progress that has been made by the so-called A10 countries joining the EU in 2004. There was no arbitrary stop to the progress that those countries were making towards the European mainstream when accession took place, but we should recognise that there should be rigour and transparency in the process. That is why I applaud the efforts of Olli Rehn, the European Commissioner responsible for enlargement, when he published the last report. I cannot prejudge the outcome of the next report.