Current situation
In 2004, ten more countries are expected to join the EU (with Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey joining later). Some more counties, namely Croatia and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) are lining up to start accession negotiations. This will have a major impact on the new Member States as well as on the current EU and on environmental organisations like the EEB. This enlargement certainly has positive potential. It can help the new member countries to accelerate their environmental policies and practice. It can also expand the impact of positive EU-wide policies across larger parts of Europe.
However, it is clear that enlargement also brings potential threats to both future and existing members. The consumption patterns predominant in Western Europe are attractive for the Accession Countries, but they increase pressures on the environment. Western concepts of deregulation, privatisation and commercialisation may endanger existing practices of biodiversity protection, public transport schemes, and agricultural practices. Vast investments in infrastructure may also bring serious and long-lasting environmental impoverishment.
Another threat not to be underestimated is the slowing-down of EU environmental and sustainable development policies, as these new countries are entering the EU with weaker environmental policies than the current average.
The enlargement process is of great importance for environmentalists for several reasons: firstly, it is important for the environment and for biodiversity in the Accession Countries. Secondly, it may affect the chances of sustainable development policies for the European Union as it stands at present, as the Accession Countries need to be brought up to the level of the EU’s current environmental standards.
The EEB's involvement in the EU enlargement process dates back to 1994, when the first organisations from the Accession Countries became corresponding members of the organisation. The EEB’s membership now includes 21 organisations from nine Accession Countries, and is increasing steadily. The rapid expansion of its network to the CEE (Central and Eastern European) countries, and the increasing importance of the EU enlargement process, means that a substantial part of the EEB's work focuses on EU enlargement. The EEB will continue with its special programme on enlargement as long as there are Accession Countries. However, the nature of the programme will change when these countries become EU members. For Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey as well as other new countries we may need to organise special activities starting already from this year.
The EEB is working with environmental organizations in the Accession Countries on awareness raising and capacity building to make it possible for them to play an active role in the accession process. Furthermore, it follows and comments on the policies of the Commission related to enlargement, from the viewpoint of environmental organizations in the east and the west of Europe.
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For more information, please contact:
Mara Silina
email: mara.silina@eeb.org
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