25
Apr
2024
Watch
Pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews (debate)
Madam President, when we talk about EU enlargement, including Ukrainian accession, the people of Europe and especially Ireland should be aware of exactly what it will mean. The cost of Ukrainian accession will be monumental. It will cost trillions to rebuild Ukraine, not the EUR 50 billion. That’s before we talk about the actual cost of enlargement. Ukraine and Moldova are three times poorer than Bulgaria, which is the EU’s current most disadvantaged Member State. CAP will not exist as we now know it. The European Council estimates a 20 % cut in CAP payments to existing Member States will be needed to allow for Ukrainian accession. In this communication on pre-enlargement reforms and policy reviews last month, the Commission again stated that further enlargement of the EU would require the end of unanimity voting. The Commission specifically said that qualified majority voting should be extended to taxation and foreign policy. This will have a profound impact on Ireland. It would put Ireland at the mercy of other larger Member States and their hawkish foreign policy. It will be the death of Irish neutrality. We need to think about where we’re going.