European Parliament Chief Stresses Importance of EU Enlargement

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European Parliament Chief Stresses Importance of EU Enlargement

President of European Parliament Pat Cox said in Seville on Friday that the enlargement of the European Union (EU) should go ahead as scheduled because it is of great importance to the future of the 15-member bloc.

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President of European Parliament Pat Cox said here on Friday that the enlargement of the European Union (EU) should go ahead as scheduled because it is of great importance to the future of the 15-member bloc.

He made the remarks while addressing the EU summit, the last one being hosted by Spain in its six-month rotating presidency.

"The European Parliament believes that politically this is theyear of enlargement. No problem will be solved, and nothing simplified, by postponement. Parliament has been playing, and willcontinue to play, a vigorous role in promoting enlargement and maintaining all necessary momentum since the European Council in Barcelona," he said.

He recommended setting up of a comprehensive political road map for after the Copenhagen Summit and organization of a special plenary session where elected representatives of the accession states will be fully integrated into EU proceedings and a debate on enlargement.

There is also need to have a debate on direct payments and start moving towards macropolitics of enlargement itself, he added.

The EU is expected to finish accession negotiations with up to10 candidate countries by the end of the year, paving the way for their full EU membership by 2004.

The EU is presently debating on internal reforms to cope with the enlarged EU in decision-making and other key aspects.

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