Post-Gothenburg

The Malta Independent

Post Gothenburg

The ball is in your court was the apt remark of EU Commission President Prodi when Maltese journalist quizzed him on Malta`s prospects for membership accession. Indeed it is.

Gothenburg proved that smaller nations can handle` delicate EU summits much better than larger members whose very weight denies them the credentials` of fair deal-makers. It has also proved that despite the setback of the Irish referendum, the enlargement process is not de-railed. On the contrary, it is quite probable that` the Irish negative referendum vote was a stimulant for the strong signal from Gothenburg about the political will behind the enlargement process.

What has actually Gothenburg told aspiring members Whilst not setting a fixed date for enlargement it came close to it. For those candidate countries who finish negotiations by 2002 enlargement could take place in 2004. The wording `participate as members` in the June 2004` European parliamentary elections is purposely ambiguous. It could mean that candidates become members before and so participate as fully fledged members in the EP elections. It could also mean that they participate in such elections as other members and than their elected representatives would take their seat when their countries actually accede to membership which could well be after June 2004.

The big question is how likely is it for negotiations to be concluded by end 2002` This is not impossible but quite tough.` It is unlikely that the compromises necessary related to the agricultural sector can be made before the French` presidential elections due in summer 2002 and the` German parliamentary elections due shortly thereafter.` It will leave the last quarter of 2002 to perform the tough negotiations with full vigour.` It will always` be subject to continuity being guaranteed by having familiar faces elected in France and Germany who can` into the thick of negotiations immediately after their domestic elections victories. And all this depends on the EU managing to persuade the Irish to change their mind about the Nice Treaty by the end of 2002.

And where does post Gothenburg leave Malta as an applicant country` It is now unquestionable that Malta will not accede to membership during this legislature. Prodi`s urging us, as a nation,` to make up our mind whether we want membership or not,` is a clear appeal to sort out this matter domestically before proceeding to negotiating the tough chapters in 2002. The referendum is no solution.` Firstly it can only be undertaken after the negotiations are concluded so at best the referendum will have to take place in 2003. Secondly` parliament has in any event to be dissolved by November 2003 so the referendum will not be binding as it could be overturned by a different electoral mandate a few months later.

Given this situation there is only one solution which can address this issue in a definitive matter and remove the uncertainty we have been going through. It is the only solution that can ensure that we don`t just waste two more years of this country`s life on a road leading to nowhere.

Small wonder that talk of a general election within the next 12 months is getting more credible. It is very much in the country`s interest to give it a definite sense of direction.