Verheugen defends transitional period

  • 2001-04-26
  • Aleksei Gunter
TALLINN - The European Union enlargement commissioner, Gunter Verheugen, said in Tallinn last week that he sees a two-year transitional period in the chapter of free movement of labor as inevitable in the irreversible process of accession.

During his visit to Estonia from April 18 to 20 the commissioner met President Lennart Meri, Prime Minister Mart Laar and Parliament Speaker Toomas Savi.

Meri stressed the importance of free movement of labor to Estonians during his meeting with the commissioner. He assured Verheugen that Estonians love their motherland and will definitely return home from business trips and studies, rather than relocating to the West.

Verheugen, however, said this topic is for EU enlargement talks only.

"I strongly reject the term 'a slap in the face' when talking about this transitional period," said Verheugen.

He also said some EU member countries are not ready for the wave of job seekers from Eastern Europe and the Baltics economically or politically.

Verheugen said that Portugal and Spain also faced a transitional period upon joining, and that Estonia would probably need two years for the transition.

The latest polls show that the number of those opposed to EU membership has been growing over the last six months.

Estonian Foreign Minister Toomas Ilves said it is wrong for people to be against the EU because of possible transition periods.

"We should bear in mind that without transitional periods there would be no EU membership. It would be impossible to set a company in the Union, to do subcontracting work there and even participate in the tender for it," said Ilves.

According to a survey the Estonian Business Association carried out this March among top level managers of 301 companies, the percentage of those supporting accession has decreased by 12 percent within one year (56 percent and 68 percent respectively). In October 1999, the proportion of supporters reached 80 percent.

Of those polled, 36 percent believed Estonia should remain independent and look for closer economic cooperation with Russia and development of transit.

"Some say Estonia should keep away from the Union and it can then become another Norway. But Estonia will never become another Norway, because you don't have the fish and you don't have the oil," said Verheugen.

He also described why Estonia is now attractive to foreign investors. "The investors see the European market behind this country, otherwise it would be unreasonable to invest here," Verheugen said.

"I am absolutely convinced Estonia will be among the first countries which will join the EU in the first round of enlargement. It is realistic to conclude the accession talks by 2002."