Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs

Submitted by: Dada Amoilafoe, Lieke van Driel, Lucia Scotto, Sarrah Aulman, Sophie Hietink, Tudor Vlahu (Teni Shittu, IE) 

The European Youth Parliament,

1. Concerned by the vagueness of the Copenhagen Criteria¹,
2. Regarding the definition of a functioning market economy and stability of institutions,
3. Noting with deep disapproval the lack of vigour and consistency in the application of rules to countries seeking candidate status²,
4. Deeply concerned by the length and inconsistency of the deliberation period between the application and the awarding of candidate status to a country³,
5. Recognising the economic effects of delays in the accession process, and its role in the increasing brain drain⁴ due to high emigration from aspiring EU-Member States,
6. Praises the European Commission’s model of  a two-part accession system⁵, seeking to filter the accessibility of EU Membership,
7. Criticising the lack of financial support allocated by the European Commission to candidate states seeking to attain member status, considering the financial hardships of EU law transposition, 

1. Urges the European Commission to prevent inconsistencies by specifying the definition of a functioning market economy within the Copenhagen Criteria;
2. Encourages the European Commission to act in accordance with the Copenhagen criteria by applying the functioning market economy definition to all applications from candidate states;
3. Calls upon the European Investment Bank to reduce unemployment by providing grants to medium and large enterprises to establish branches in candidate states;
4. Recommends for the European Council to replace unanimous decision making for the granting of candidate status by amending the procedure to that of an 85% majority;
5. Commends the current position of the two-part system that consists of both an initial application, through negotiations and candidacy status, and the transposition of EU law by encouraging the continuation of such an approach; 
6. Instructs the Joint Committee on European Affairs⁶ together with candidate states to ensure an easier fulfilment of the criteria specified by the EU policy chapters, by beginning a process of twinning⁷ aimed at reducing the financial burden on candidate states.

1. The key criteria for accession are: stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities; a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU; the ability to take on and implement effectively the obligations of membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.
2. Four months after Poland’s accession, Poland had failed to adopt 257 EU regulations, therefore not meeting the Copenhagen criteria.
3. Such as North Macedonia who took 17 years to get candidate status, Turkey has been an applicant since 1987 and Moldova and Ukraine got their candidate status after merely months.
4. Brain drain is the emigration of highly trained or qualified people from a particular country.
5. The current two-part accession system requires two stages: first, becoming a candidate country; and second, becoming a Member State.
6. The Joint Committee on European Affairs deals with issues of policy as well as the transposition and implementation of EU law.
7. Twinning aims to provide support for the transposition, implementation and enforcement of the EU legislation