Czech Republic: membership application and partnership, 17 January 1996

The committee adopted the report by Jürgen SCHRÖDER (EPP-ED, D) which said that the Czech Republic was maintaining its efforts to complete its accession strategy by 2004. The committee particularly welcomed the fact that the country was now a "functioning market economy" and that it was speeding up reforms. The report broadly welcomed progress made in the environmental field, while stressing the need for careful monitoring. It also said that the issue of the Temelin nuclear plant needed to be resolved, and called on the Commission to investigate how it might be relinquished. The Czech Government was urged to tackle the problem of trafficking in women. The committee concluded by expressing the hope that the Czech Republic would be able to join the EU by 2004. �