European Parliament discusses Poland’s

By : Jeffrey Sparshott

   The European Parliament this week will discuss Poland’s progress toward European Union (EU) membership and urge the country to accept a compromise that would phase in direct agricultural payments and gradually integrate the sector into the existing system, according to a draft report prepared by the Parliament’s foreign affairs committee.

   “Parliament hopes that Poland will join the union as soon as possible, perhaps before the next European elections in 2004,” said Jas Gawronski, an MP from Italy, in a report on Poland’s membership application.

   The Parliament is scheduled to debate the resolutions on EU enlargement and on the progress of individual candidates Sept. 4 and cast a vote Sept. 5. While Poland is negotiating directly with the European Commission (EC), the EU’s main decision-making body, Parliament’s role is crucial because it must ratify accession treaties of applicants at the end of the negotiation process.

   “This is important because in the end Parliament is left with a take-it-or-leave-it approach,” said Roy Worsley, a Parliament press officer. The debate and vote also help maintain the momentum for enlargement while pointing out progress and difficulties, he added. “It just gives everyone a clear insight into what’s going on.”

   The report pushes for Poland and the EC to reach a compromise on participation in the common agricultural policy (CAP).

   “The committee recognizes that Polish farmers were the only ones in communist central Europe who managed to keep privately owned agriculture, and this has led to structural difficulties such as farm fragmentation and over-employment,” Gawronski’s report stated. “The Polish authorities and the commission are urged to reach a compromise agreement on participation in the common agricultural policy … that would gradually integrate the sector into the community system.”

   An existing proposal for phasing in direct payments would gradually integrate Poland’s farmers into the EU’s elaborate system of subsidies and price supports. Poland’s government has demanded immediate access but the EU is worried that Poland would overtax the CAP.

   The Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defense Policy Committee report also commented on Poland’s 16% unemployment rate, generally encouraging macroeconomic situation and the Sejm and Senate’s “remarkable efforts” to adapt national legislation to EU law.

   The foreign affairs committee debated the resolutions last week; the legislation is Parliament’s response to the EC’s November 2000 enlargement progress report.