European Parliament committee approves new memberships

Malta leads the 10 EU acceding countries in favourable votes from the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee, which has approved the draft resolution on their membership.

No member of the foreign affairs committee voted against Malta's membership and two abstained.

Together with Hungary, Malta obtained the highest number of favourable votes (58) in the committee.

The individual votes on the 10 acceding countries were passed by a majority, each one receiving a large majority of votes, although certain MEPs voted against the accession of certain countries, such as Poland, due to their pro-American stance on the Iraq war.

Many MEPs spoke after the vote, justifying their yes vote to enlargement irrespective of differences of opinion on the Iraqi crisis.

The foreign affairs committee approved by a large majority the report by its president, Elmar Brok, on the conclusion of the accession negotiations as decided at the Copenhagen summit in December, 2002, and 10 individual reports giving a favourable opinion on accession of the 10 first new member states on May 1, 2004.

The final vote in plenary session of the European Parliament is scheduled for April 9.

Following the parliament's approval, the heads of government of the 10 acceding countries will be invited to sign the Accession Treaty on April 16. Leading exponents of the EU have already made it clear that whoever misses the opportunity to sign the treaty on April 16 will not be able to join the EU on May 1, 2004.

The Brok report, adopted by 55 votes in favour to two against (with one abstention), highlights the historical and political importance of this wave of enlargement, which is "vital" for the stability and peace of the European continent, the strengthening of its democracy and economy, and the development of the cultural and human dimensions of European integration.

The report speaks of the multiple "opportunities" open to the enlarged EU, in terms of increasing its weight on the international stage, but it also stresses the need to ensure that the newcomers fulfil all their obligations as members.