Ms Kristiina Ojuland: An EU of 25 and Estonia's Role in It
Address by Ms Kristiina Ojuland, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Estonia, at the European Policy Centre’s lecture series "Meet the New Member States", 23 October 2002, Brussels
Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Estonia’s progress towards membership in the European Union has been a logical and persistent one. Throughout the process of building up our nation since regaining independence in 1991, we have never lost sight of the European values and principles, which have always been a source of moral and political inspiration for us. Applying for membership in the European Union in 1995 was such a natural step to take that all political circles, which were at that time represented in the Estonian Parliament supported this move. Estonia’s reforms during the last ten years have been both extensive and successful. Right from the start of the accession negotiations we have had to and have based our reforms upon the European Union’s acquis and aims. This has provided us with a substantial fulcrum that has helped to guide us and has given us a chance to draw upon the earlier experiences of the European states. The fact that we are an open and competitive society has been very conducive to Estonia’s positive development. We are presently the 21st most competitive country among the developed states and as far as economic freedom is concerned actually one of the world’s leading nations, namely, the fourth. The tempo of Estonia’s economic growth has consistently surpassed the economic growth of the European Union and is doing so even now, when the world economy seems to be, in many ways, ailing. Therefore, Estonia has on the basis of its reforms and progress acquired enough self-confidence to be able to address with an innovatory spirit also the matter of reforming the European Union.
Enlargement is, of course, the leading idea in the present stage of the European Union’s development process. But it forms only one dimension of this historical process. It is an undeniable fact that the events of the early 1990s in Central and Eastern Europe created a great opportunity for imbuing the development of the European Union with a new dynamism. But the basic impetus, which took the European Union to the present threshold of reforms came of course from the Union’s own internal genesis, the like of which, I do not hesitate to declare, cannot be found anywhere else in the world. What I mean to say is, that the European Union has set an inspiring example as a driving force for growth and development. The mechanisms, which keep it in motion, have, without a doubt, been very effective and efficient. When we are now faced with new challenges and the need for new achievements we have to carefully calculate each step, so as not to upset the whole system, which made possible the progress which has been made up till now.
The Laeken Declaration gave the Convention on the Future of Europe a suitable starting point for establishing a vision, which would help the inter-governmental conference to make the necessary decisions. From Estonia’s point of view it is essential that the European Union become ever more comprehensible for our own citizens and also for the other countries who will soon become our Union partners. Since we want Europe to be comprehensible for all its citizens it is necessary to make the European Union processes more transparent and understandable. As the citizens of an accessing state, it is essential for Estonians to fully realize in which spheres of activity the Union will involve itself in our further development, and in this context, what exactly can be expected of the Union. If, with the simplifying of treaties and with the incorporating of the charter of basic rights into treaties, it would be possible to achieve such a clarification then that would already be a very praiseworthy achievement, which would increase the legitimacy of the Union in the eyes of both old and new citizens of a united Europe.
Today’s generations no longer ask why the European Union was originally created half a century ago. Rather, they are primarily interested in seeing that their rights and interests be kept in mind and be guaranteed at all levels including the various European institutions. The Irish referendum, concerning the approval of the Nice Treaty, was a good example of how many varied questions citizens can have about reforms, which arise in connection with the development of the European Union’s intricate internal mechanisms. I’m sincerely glad that Ireland’s voters wanted to and did comprehend that various positive changes are essential for sustaining progress and development. It is also important that this referendum vividly demonstrated how decisive a roll a vote of every citizen of member states plays in determining their future. In Estonia doubts are often raised about whether smaller states are even given an opportunity to have a say in European Union matters. Many of these uncertainties got an answer with the Irish referendum.
It cannot be said that in the Union’s decision-making process there are presently any critical deficits of democracy. But even the seeming or claimed existence of such a deficit has brought about a demand for the greater participation of national parliaments in the European Union’s decision-making mechanism. But no one has been able to present a clear cut guaranteed solution for this problem, since the status of every national parliament is determined by the particular state’s constitution. So, the European Union’s task is to establish a framework, which would enable national parliaments to participate in the European decision making process in a suitably dignified manner and would also promote co-operation with the European Parliament.
We also expect that the on-going reforms will establish a clear image of the European Union in the eyes of the Union’s outside partners. For Estonia an essential factor in our accession efforts is the desire to belong to a body, which has clearly defined goals and is capable of dealing with international questions. In today’s world there are many challenges, which call for the European Union to step forth as a compact unit and speak with one voice. When such matters arise it would be desirable to see the EU arrive at a quicker consensus, so that with clearly stated tactics and policy positions a plan of action could be established, which would coincide with the member states’ common interests.
As a politician and Estonian foreign minister I understand very well that from the point of view of citizens, it is most important how the results of political actions and activities can be measured and evaluated. As the foreign minister of a candidate state I am convinced that we bear responsibility for the success of the upcoming inter-governmental conference equally with the present member states. We will justify the trusting of this responsibility with us only if the citizens of Europe find that as a result of the European Union’s reforms and enlargement a new whole is born, which people will find more congenial and which will have clearer goals than before.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Estonia still has, before participating at the next inter-governmental conference as a full member, a very busy year ahead of it: completing the on-going negotiations; completing the last pre-accession preparations; receiving through a referendum the Estonian people’s approval for accession. At this point it is obviously appropriate that I give you a quick overview of the present stage of Estonia’s accession negotiations.
According to the European Commission’s annual progress reports, which were published on October 9, 10 countries, including Estonia, would be ready to conclude the negotiations by the end of 2002 and join the EU in 2004. These recommendations will form the basis for the decisions, which will be made at the Brussels European Council. By early November we expect the Council of Ministers to present to the candidate countries its common positions on the financial package regarding the matters still open.
Estonia has, to date, provisionally closed 28 of the 31 negotiating chapters. The finding of solutions, which would satisfy both parties for the chapters concerning agriculture, and financial and budgetary provisions, obviously requires a constructive and creative approach.
Agriculture is obviously a sensitive field within the European Union as it is related to the policies dealing with a common market, subsidies, and food quality and food safety. It is also closely related to the EU common budget. Estonia has analysed the EU positions, in order to be able to reach mutually acceptable solutions regarding agriculture. In September, Estonia submitted a supplementary position with additional argumentation to support its requests. In the negotiations on the agriculture chapter Estonia will concentrate on production quotas, especially the milk quota; on the reference period, which forms the basis for calculating the quotas; the reference yield for cereals; the base area; beef premiums and sugar production quotas.
In the chapter of financial and budgetary provisions, Estonia would like to negotiate for the possibility of a gradual phasing in of its financial contributions to the EU budget, in order to achieve a balance in its rights and obligations concerning the EU budget after accession. Estonia’s negotiating position concerning financial matters is based upon the expectation that Estonia’s financial situation should significantly improve upon accession to the EU.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Estonia has good reason to believe, that Denmark will succeed in bringing the enlargement process and the accession negotiations to a successful conclusion at the Copenhagen Summit. The principles of the enlargement process should remain unchanged during the end game of the negotiations. And the accession talks should be continued on the basis of the current acquis. Discussions on institutional or policy reforms should not interfere with the accession talks.
Completing the negotiations according to the agreed upon timetable is of the utmost importance for maintaining public support for EU membership in the candidate countries. Opinion polls show that public support in Estonia for joining the European Union is around 55%. Any unnecessary delays in the on-going process, however, would render the making of the case for enlargement more difficult. A realistic enlargement timetable was agreed upon in Laeken and it is crucial that we stick to it. I am optimistic that with sufficient political will compromises will be found to even out even the most difficult issues.
Enlargement does not, of course, depend solely on the outcome of the negotiations. We are fully aware of the fact that the date of accession depends also on us -- on our level of readiness. That is why, at the same time as we negotiate in Brussels, we are preparing for EU accession at home. This means above all the making of final changes to our public administration system. Once our accession treaty is signed next spring, Estonian officials will be allowed to participate as observers in EU committees and working groups. Therefore, it is important that our officials be well prepared for these new tasks.
Estonia plans to hold its referendum concerning the joining of the EU next summer. This means that the Estonian people will have a chance to make a decision, in principle, about accession and also about the conditions involved, which are spelled out in the accession treaty. Therefore, the results achieved at the upcoming conclusion of the negotiations from the clarity point of view, will be doubly important. The Estonian public is keeping a close eye on the agreements being achieved, thereby make its own deductions and evaluate how the whole is affecting Estonian development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In its Strategy Paper concerning enlargement the European Commission brings forth the urgent need to familiarise the member states with the noteworthy progress that the candidate states have made with implementing political and economic reforms. The Commission’s communication strategy is to inform the citizens of the member states of the fact that the uniting of Europe is a beneficial development for all participants involved increasing national security, stability and welfare throughout the whole continent and especially for the member states. There is no doubt that in the present member states it will be possible to increase the public’s awareness concerning the benefits of enlargement.
Today’s event is definitely an opportunity to follow up on this communication strategy and establish closer contacts with the future member state of Estonia. But I think that we should go even further and make use of the time left until enlargement to establish bilateral and multilateral relations between member and candidate states, so as to gain a better idea of what co-operation will be like as partners. After all, the various domains and specific questions, which interest all of us, may not be exactly the same. Just as is the case with present members, new members will also have specific points which they will want to stress and which should therefore, in the interest of productive co-operation, be known to all.
Of the fields, which are of special interest to Estonia, I would, at this point, like to stress only two -- the development of an information society and the development of the Baltic Sea region into integrated Europe’s region of growth.
As you no doubt know, Estonia has among Central and Eastern European states achieved the leading position in the field of developing an information society. Actually, the same thing can be claimed when comparing Estonia with European Union states. Estonia is truly open to new concepts and technologies. Our flexibility enables us to adjust quickly to everything new. We have, for instance, very successfully adopted contemporary info technology. Estonia’s e-government has been well noted by many experts who have had a chance to familiarize themselves with it. In The Networked Readiness Index of February that evaluates the ability of the various countries of the world to make use of the opportunities offered by contemporary communication and info technology, rated Estonia higher than several EU member states. And Estonia is in second place among European states when it comes to the frequency of public Internet centres.
Therefore, it’s natural that we expect the European Union to pay sufficient attention to the development of this essential sector. It is not only a question of getting citizens involved in and informing them about democratic decision-making process. New developments in the field of information technology create new economic and social opportunities. Innovative services and applications establish new markets and enable the increasing of productivity, thereby promoting economic growth and increasing employment. And what may be most important of all the clever use of information technology will help the labour force to acquire the necessary skills for maintaining competitiveness in an information saturated economic system.
In light of all this Estonia believes that it is essential that the European Union’s action plan, e-Europe 2005, be seriously implemented. In Estonia the e-Europe+ programme’s goals, which were meant for the candidate states, have mostly been achieved. Therefore, it goes without saying that we plan to actively participate in the formulation of the next programmes as a member state.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have briefly talked about how, in the process of reforming the European Union, it is necessary to integrate the different aspects of the EU’s external activities. A common foreign and security policy, a common trade policy and development co-operation must be implemented for achieving the same goals in such a manner as to ensure the comprehensive and rational utilisation of all the means at the disposal of the Union. The activities of the CFSP at least in the mid-long term perspective and in view of the present lack of resources must be viewed as one part of the transatlantic security structure, along with other organisations like the OSCE, NATO, the Council of Europe and others, in which each individual link has its own specific role.
Estonia, as a state in the Baltic Sea region, has for some time now been able to closely follow the influence of the European Union’s external activities. The development of the Baltic Sea region is not only very promising but in many ways also a successfully implemented example of how to encompass states with a different status into a successful regional co-operation programme. After the enlargement of the European Union, the situation will somewhat change again. Already today we expect the region to not only increase its stability and security but also to make a truly qualitative leap to a new level of economic activity and improving welfare. We have a reason to believe that, at least in an enlarged European Union this will occur. This development will be ensured by the political, economic and social integrated mechanisms of the European Union. If the European Union succeeds in giving additional impetus to the implementing and completing of the various transportation and energy infrastructure projects, which are so important for the whole region, it would be possible to talk about the establishment of a basis for long term sustainable economic growth and increased welfare.
But the Baltic Sea region also encompasses states, which cannot or do not want to become European Union members but nevertheless influence the welfare of the whole region. The European Union cannot and does not overlook the necessity of conceptually dealing with the development of relations with these states. The Northern Dimension is a good example of how to deal with matters and states, which influence the whole European Union but fall outside of its borders. After enlargement the Union will be an even closer neighbour of Russia’s. But the gap between them, in terms of the people’s living standards and the general environment in which the people live, will most likely grow. The best way to achieve results in the tackling of these disparities is to focus on priorities that will have an impact throughout Europe. These include: working with Russia in the field of handling nuclear waste, addressing the causes of environmental pollution throughout the Baltic Sea region and striving to combat organized crime.
A vision is quickly developing about the relations of an enlarged EU with the so-called New Neighbours, a term which encompasses Ukraine, Byelorussia and Moldova. Estonia, with its extensive reform experiences is sincerely interested in supporting and has a recognized capability of supporting the EU’s efforts to aid these countries to implement necessary reforms. At the same time it is important, when dealing with the New Neighbours, not to become tied down with inflexible conceptions but to be ready to adjust and differentiate the programmes if the situation warrants it.
Estonia definitely believes that it is essential to maintain the continued expansion of the European Union on the active agenda. The Balkan states must have a realistic chance for becoming members of the EU. Since stability and the prospects of joining the EU have brought with them the motivations for development to the Baltic Sea region, we can hope that the same will occur in South-Eastern Europe.
Ladies an Gentlemen,
The possibility of becoming a member of the European Union is opening up truly lucrative development prospects for Estonia, increasing the possibilities for improving foreign relations, and for increasing the nations general welfare. As realists, we in Estonia, evaluate this as an opportunity that will benefit us only if we implement it with creative efforts, which of course means that a lot of hard work awaits us.
I wish that all your following meetings with future potential member state representatives would be more than fruitful. Thank you for your attention.
Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Estonia’s progress towards membership in the European Union has been a logical and persistent one. Throughout the process of building up our nation since regaining independence in 1991, we have never lost sight of the European values and principles, which have always been a source of moral and political inspiration for us. Applying for membership in the European Union in 1995 was such a natural step to take that all political circles, which were at that time represented in the Estonian Parliament supported this move. Estonia’s reforms during the last ten years have been both extensive and successful. Right from the start of the accession negotiations we have had to and have based our reforms upon the European Union’s acquis and aims. This has provided us with a substantial fulcrum that has helped to guide us and has given us a chance to draw upon the earlier experiences of the European states. The fact that we are an open and competitive society has been very conducive to Estonia’s positive development. We are presently the 21st most competitive country among the developed states and as far as economic freedom is concerned actually one of the world’s leading nations, namely, the fourth. The tempo of Estonia’s economic growth has consistently surpassed the economic growth of the European Union and is doing so even now, when the world economy seems to be, in many ways, ailing. Therefore, Estonia has on the basis of its reforms and progress acquired enough self-confidence to be able to address with an innovatory spirit also the matter of reforming the European Union.
Enlargement is, of course, the leading idea in the present stage of the European Union’s development process. But it forms only one dimension of this historical process. It is an undeniable fact that the events of the early 1990s in Central and Eastern Europe created a great opportunity for imbuing the development of the European Union with a new dynamism. But the basic impetus, which took the European Union to the present threshold of reforms came of course from the Union’s own internal genesis, the like of which, I do not hesitate to declare, cannot be found anywhere else in the world. What I mean to say is, that the European Union has set an inspiring example as a driving force for growth and development. The mechanisms, which keep it in motion, have, without a doubt, been very effective and efficient. When we are now faced with new challenges and the need for new achievements we have to carefully calculate each step, so as not to upset the whole system, which made possible the progress which has been made up till now.
The Laeken Declaration gave the Convention on the Future of Europe a suitable starting point for establishing a vision, which would help the inter-governmental conference to make the necessary decisions. From Estonia’s point of view it is essential that the European Union become ever more comprehensible for our own citizens and also for the other countries who will soon become our Union partners. Since we want Europe to be comprehensible for all its citizens it is necessary to make the European Union processes more transparent and understandable. As the citizens of an accessing state, it is essential for Estonians to fully realize in which spheres of activity the Union will involve itself in our further development, and in this context, what exactly can be expected of the Union. If, with the simplifying of treaties and with the incorporating of the charter of basic rights into treaties, it would be possible to achieve such a clarification then that would already be a very praiseworthy achievement, which would increase the legitimacy of the Union in the eyes of both old and new citizens of a united Europe.
Today’s generations no longer ask why the European Union was originally created half a century ago. Rather, they are primarily interested in seeing that their rights and interests be kept in mind and be guaranteed at all levels including the various European institutions. The Irish referendum, concerning the approval of the Nice Treaty, was a good example of how many varied questions citizens can have about reforms, which arise in connection with the development of the European Union’s intricate internal mechanisms. I’m sincerely glad that Ireland’s voters wanted to and did comprehend that various positive changes are essential for sustaining progress and development. It is also important that this referendum vividly demonstrated how decisive a roll a vote of every citizen of member states plays in determining their future. In Estonia doubts are often raised about whether smaller states are even given an opportunity to have a say in European Union matters. Many of these uncertainties got an answer with the Irish referendum.
It cannot be said that in the Union’s decision-making process there are presently any critical deficits of democracy. But even the seeming or claimed existence of such a deficit has brought about a demand for the greater participation of national parliaments in the European Union’s decision-making mechanism. But no one has been able to present a clear cut guaranteed solution for this problem, since the status of every national parliament is determined by the particular state’s constitution. So, the European Union’s task is to establish a framework, which would enable national parliaments to participate in the European decision making process in a suitably dignified manner and would also promote co-operation with the European Parliament.
We also expect that the on-going reforms will establish a clear image of the European Union in the eyes of the Union’s outside partners. For Estonia an essential factor in our accession efforts is the desire to belong to a body, which has clearly defined goals and is capable of dealing with international questions. In today’s world there are many challenges, which call for the European Union to step forth as a compact unit and speak with one voice. When such matters arise it would be desirable to see the EU arrive at a quicker consensus, so that with clearly stated tactics and policy positions a plan of action could be established, which would coincide with the member states’ common interests.
As a politician and Estonian foreign minister I understand very well that from the point of view of citizens, it is most important how the results of political actions and activities can be measured and evaluated. As the foreign minister of a candidate state I am convinced that we bear responsibility for the success of the upcoming inter-governmental conference equally with the present member states. We will justify the trusting of this responsibility with us only if the citizens of Europe find that as a result of the European Union’s reforms and enlargement a new whole is born, which people will find more congenial and which will have clearer goals than before.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Estonia still has, before participating at the next inter-governmental conference as a full member, a very busy year ahead of it: completing the on-going negotiations; completing the last pre-accession preparations; receiving through a referendum the Estonian people’s approval for accession. At this point it is obviously appropriate that I give you a quick overview of the present stage of Estonia’s accession negotiations.
According to the European Commission’s annual progress reports, which were published on October 9, 10 countries, including Estonia, would be ready to conclude the negotiations by the end of 2002 and join the EU in 2004. These recommendations will form the basis for the decisions, which will be made at the Brussels European Council. By early November we expect the Council of Ministers to present to the candidate countries its common positions on the financial package regarding the matters still open.
Estonia has, to date, provisionally closed 28 of the 31 negotiating chapters. The finding of solutions, which would satisfy both parties for the chapters concerning agriculture, and financial and budgetary provisions, obviously requires a constructive and creative approach.
Agriculture is obviously a sensitive field within the European Union as it is related to the policies dealing with a common market, subsidies, and food quality and food safety. It is also closely related to the EU common budget. Estonia has analysed the EU positions, in order to be able to reach mutually acceptable solutions regarding agriculture. In September, Estonia submitted a supplementary position with additional argumentation to support its requests. In the negotiations on the agriculture chapter Estonia will concentrate on production quotas, especially the milk quota; on the reference period, which forms the basis for calculating the quotas; the reference yield for cereals; the base area; beef premiums and sugar production quotas.
In the chapter of financial and budgetary provisions, Estonia would like to negotiate for the possibility of a gradual phasing in of its financial contributions to the EU budget, in order to achieve a balance in its rights and obligations concerning the EU budget after accession. Estonia’s negotiating position concerning financial matters is based upon the expectation that Estonia’s financial situation should significantly improve upon accession to the EU.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Estonia has good reason to believe, that Denmark will succeed in bringing the enlargement process and the accession negotiations to a successful conclusion at the Copenhagen Summit. The principles of the enlargement process should remain unchanged during the end game of the negotiations. And the accession talks should be continued on the basis of the current acquis. Discussions on institutional or policy reforms should not interfere with the accession talks.
Completing the negotiations according to the agreed upon timetable is of the utmost importance for maintaining public support for EU membership in the candidate countries. Opinion polls show that public support in Estonia for joining the European Union is around 55%. Any unnecessary delays in the on-going process, however, would render the making of the case for enlargement more difficult. A realistic enlargement timetable was agreed upon in Laeken and it is crucial that we stick to it. I am optimistic that with sufficient political will compromises will be found to even out even the most difficult issues.
Enlargement does not, of course, depend solely on the outcome of the negotiations. We are fully aware of the fact that the date of accession depends also on us -- on our level of readiness. That is why, at the same time as we negotiate in Brussels, we are preparing for EU accession at home. This means above all the making of final changes to our public administration system. Once our accession treaty is signed next spring, Estonian officials will be allowed to participate as observers in EU committees and working groups. Therefore, it is important that our officials be well prepared for these new tasks.
Estonia plans to hold its referendum concerning the joining of the EU next summer. This means that the Estonian people will have a chance to make a decision, in principle, about accession and also about the conditions involved, which are spelled out in the accession treaty. Therefore, the results achieved at the upcoming conclusion of the negotiations from the clarity point of view, will be doubly important. The Estonian public is keeping a close eye on the agreements being achieved, thereby make its own deductions and evaluate how the whole is affecting Estonian development.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In its Strategy Paper concerning enlargement the European Commission brings forth the urgent need to familiarise the member states with the noteworthy progress that the candidate states have made with implementing political and economic reforms. The Commission’s communication strategy is to inform the citizens of the member states of the fact that the uniting of Europe is a beneficial development for all participants involved increasing national security, stability and welfare throughout the whole continent and especially for the member states. There is no doubt that in the present member states it will be possible to increase the public’s awareness concerning the benefits of enlargement.
Today’s event is definitely an opportunity to follow up on this communication strategy and establish closer contacts with the future member state of Estonia. But I think that we should go even further and make use of the time left until enlargement to establish bilateral and multilateral relations between member and candidate states, so as to gain a better idea of what co-operation will be like as partners. After all, the various domains and specific questions, which interest all of us, may not be exactly the same. Just as is the case with present members, new members will also have specific points which they will want to stress and which should therefore, in the interest of productive co-operation, be known to all.
Of the fields, which are of special interest to Estonia, I would, at this point, like to stress only two -- the development of an information society and the development of the Baltic Sea region into integrated Europe’s region of growth.
As you no doubt know, Estonia has among Central and Eastern European states achieved the leading position in the field of developing an information society. Actually, the same thing can be claimed when comparing Estonia with European Union states. Estonia is truly open to new concepts and technologies. Our flexibility enables us to adjust quickly to everything new. We have, for instance, very successfully adopted contemporary info technology. Estonia’s e-government has been well noted by many experts who have had a chance to familiarize themselves with it. In The Networked Readiness Index of February that evaluates the ability of the various countries of the world to make use of the opportunities offered by contemporary communication and info technology, rated Estonia higher than several EU member states. And Estonia is in second place among European states when it comes to the frequency of public Internet centres.
Therefore, it’s natural that we expect the European Union to pay sufficient attention to the development of this essential sector. It is not only a question of getting citizens involved in and informing them about democratic decision-making process. New developments in the field of information technology create new economic and social opportunities. Innovative services and applications establish new markets and enable the increasing of productivity, thereby promoting economic growth and increasing employment. And what may be most important of all the clever use of information technology will help the labour force to acquire the necessary skills for maintaining competitiveness in an information saturated economic system.
In light of all this Estonia believes that it is essential that the European Union’s action plan, e-Europe 2005, be seriously implemented. In Estonia the e-Europe+ programme’s goals, which were meant for the candidate states, have mostly been achieved. Therefore, it goes without saying that we plan to actively participate in the formulation of the next programmes as a member state.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have briefly talked about how, in the process of reforming the European Union, it is necessary to integrate the different aspects of the EU’s external activities. A common foreign and security policy, a common trade policy and development co-operation must be implemented for achieving the same goals in such a manner as to ensure the comprehensive and rational utilisation of all the means at the disposal of the Union. The activities of the CFSP at least in the mid-long term perspective and in view of the present lack of resources must be viewed as one part of the transatlantic security structure, along with other organisations like the OSCE, NATO, the Council of Europe and others, in which each individual link has its own specific role.
Estonia, as a state in the Baltic Sea region, has for some time now been able to closely follow the influence of the European Union’s external activities. The development of the Baltic Sea region is not only very promising but in many ways also a successfully implemented example of how to encompass states with a different status into a successful regional co-operation programme. After the enlargement of the European Union, the situation will somewhat change again. Already today we expect the region to not only increase its stability and security but also to make a truly qualitative leap to a new level of economic activity and improving welfare. We have a reason to believe that, at least in an enlarged European Union this will occur. This development will be ensured by the political, economic and social integrated mechanisms of the European Union. If the European Union succeeds in giving additional impetus to the implementing and completing of the various transportation and energy infrastructure projects, which are so important for the whole region, it would be possible to talk about the establishment of a basis for long term sustainable economic growth and increased welfare.
But the Baltic Sea region also encompasses states, which cannot or do not want to become European Union members but nevertheless influence the welfare of the whole region. The European Union cannot and does not overlook the necessity of conceptually dealing with the development of relations with these states. The Northern Dimension is a good example of how to deal with matters and states, which influence the whole European Union but fall outside of its borders. After enlargement the Union will be an even closer neighbour of Russia’s. But the gap between them, in terms of the people’s living standards and the general environment in which the people live, will most likely grow. The best way to achieve results in the tackling of these disparities is to focus on priorities that will have an impact throughout Europe. These include: working with Russia in the field of handling nuclear waste, addressing the causes of environmental pollution throughout the Baltic Sea region and striving to combat organized crime.
A vision is quickly developing about the relations of an enlarged EU with the so-called New Neighbours, a term which encompasses Ukraine, Byelorussia and Moldova. Estonia, with its extensive reform experiences is sincerely interested in supporting and has a recognized capability of supporting the EU’s efforts to aid these countries to implement necessary reforms. At the same time it is important, when dealing with the New Neighbours, not to become tied down with inflexible conceptions but to be ready to adjust and differentiate the programmes if the situation warrants it.
Estonia definitely believes that it is essential to maintain the continued expansion of the European Union on the active agenda. The Balkan states must have a realistic chance for becoming members of the EU. Since stability and the prospects of joining the EU have brought with them the motivations for development to the Baltic Sea region, we can hope that the same will occur in South-Eastern Europe.
Ladies an Gentlemen,
The possibility of becoming a member of the European Union is opening up truly lucrative development prospects for Estonia, increasing the possibilities for improving foreign relations, and for increasing the nations general welfare. As realists, we in Estonia, evaluate this as an opportunity that will benefit us only if we implement it with creative efforts, which of course means that a lot of hard work awaits us.
I wish that all your following meetings with future potential member state representatives would be more than fruitful. Thank you for your attention.
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