Stefan Fuele, who is named the European Enlargement Commissioner and who will next week participate in a hearing before the European Parliament's External Affairs Committee, has underlined that Croatia should wrap up its EU entry talks this year, adding that his main task will be to prepare very well any future enlargement of the European Union.
Croatia should be able to fulfil its goal of concluding the accessionnegotiations this year, provided it fulfils all the required conditions. Someof the most challenging conditions are in the fields of judicial reform andfundamental rights, the commissioner said in his report to the EP committee.
All the appointed commissioners must forward their answers to questions inwriting for hearings before relevant EP committees.
Fuele's responses show that he does not intend to change the bloc'senlargement strategy and he reiterates positions of his predecessor Olli Rehn.
"My main task will be to ensure that any future accessions are solidlyprepared and strengthen the Union's further development. We need to pursue anenlargement process based on the commitments we have made and theconditionalities that have been set," Fuele said.
He is cautious about assessments of prospects of countries candidates andpotential candidates.
In the six-page report, Croatia is mentioned twice. Other EU hopefuls werealso mentioned twice or less.
Until the end of his term which expires in the autumn of 2014, he counts onthe admission of Croatia and Iceland.
"On Enlargement, my main legislative activity will be the preparationof the Accession Treaties. If negotiations with Croatia, Iceland and others endsuccessfully, I would present the relevant Accession Treaties to Parliament.The timing will depend mainly on both countries making the necessary progressto enable the signing of Accession Treaty with them. Parliament"s consentis an essential part of this process," Fuele wrote.
The hearing of commissioners is scheduled between 11-15 January in Brusselsand on 18-19 January in Strasbourg.
Fuele is expected to appear before the relevant committee on Tuesdayafternoon.
After hearings, committee member assess the performance and communicationskills of each commissioner and notify the conference of presidents, includingthe EP president and leaders of all political groups, about their findings.
In this stage, it is possible for committees to insist on the replacement orthe change of commissioners.
The Parliament is due to hold a final voting on the new make-up of theEuropean Commission, the EU executive arm, on 26 January in Brussels.
