Malta's application for membership

Adopting the report by Mrs MALONE (PSE, IRL), the European Parliament stressed the geo-political and strategic importance of the island and the advantages of enlarging the Union to include more of the Mediterranean region and called on the Council and the Member States to commit themselves resolutely and unreservedly to ensuring that Malta joined the Union quickly. It welcomed the progress made during the stage preceding accession negotiations, which had consolidated relations between Malta and the European Union and constituted the unquestionable basis for pre-accession prior to negotiations proper. According to the European Parliament, the legal and economic obstacles raised by the Commission in its opinion could be easily surmounted given the political will of the parties to find a solution. It therefore considered that accession negotiations could commence in the near future and supported the Council decision to start negotiations six months after the close of the IGC. However, Parliament reiterated once again that enlargement needed to be accompanied by institutional changes at Community level. At the same time, Parliament pointed out that the new financial protocol, which was tantamount to a pre-accession protocol, should enter into force immediately in order to support Malta in its integration efforts. It considered that Malta's economic situation would not hamper its accession but that Malta should endeavour to subscribe to the spirit of the TEU, including on common foreign and security policy. Parliament called on the Member States to give Malta observer status with the right to speak at the 1996 IGC. Finally, it stated that the Euro-Mediterranean conference should clearly highlight the status of Malta as a candidate country.�