Expanding EU to seek close ties with new neighbours

Anxious to ensure that the enlargement of the European Union does not create a new Iron Curtain, the European Commission agreed yesterday to set up a task force for closer ties with its new neighbours.

The plan is to strengthen economic and political relations with an array of countries in North Africa, the Middle East and the former Soviet Union which will border the EU when it expands to 25 members from 15 next year.

"This is a political signal for our neighbouring countries, a signal that we want as a logical consequence of the enlargement which is more or less completed," Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen told a news conference.

The "Wider Europe Task Force", whose job will be to draw up action plans for eastern European and southern Mediterranean countries, will report to Verheugen, who has more time on his hands now that the main work of the EU's biggest-ever enlargement is done.

The EU is wary of offering full membership to Russia, Ukraine or Moldova but believes stability, prosperity and democracy could be bolstered in these countries if they are offered a share in the benefits of its internal market.

External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten recalled that this was a pledge made at a summit in Greece last month.

"What we proposed was... a broad vision for our new neighbours in Europe which would make it clear that enlargement wasn't leading to fortress Europe. We proposed the progressive extension of the benefits of membership in exchange for the progressive adoption of the acquis (EU rules and regulations)." Such benefits could eventually include full freedom of movement for people, services, goods and capital with the EU but would stop short of voting rights and full participation in the blocs supranational institutions.

The "wider Europe" initiative coincides with preparations to admit eight new members from ex-communist central Europe, including Poland and the Czech Republic, plus the small Mediterranean islands of Cyprus and Malta on May 1, 2004.

The 10 candidates have to adopt EU laws and regulations, including those in the field of visas and border controls, prompting fears among Russians and Ukrainians of a Cold War-style division of the continent, this time into haves and have-nots.