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European Commission: Strategy Paper and Report 2003
While accession negotiations are based on the principle that candidate
countries effectively apply the acquis upon accession, a number of
well-justified transitional measures have been agreed in the negotiations, in
line with the principles laid down for transitional measures. These
principles state that any transitional measure has to be limited in time and
scope and be accompanied by a plan clearly defining stages for the
application of the acquis. In addition, transitional measures must not
involve amendments to the rules and policies of the Union, disrupt their
proper functioning, or lead to significant distortions of competition.
Transitional measures have been agreed, upon request of both the candidate
countries (some 190 requests accepted so far) and the Union (some 28 requests
accepted so far). The scope of these measures varies across sectors and
countries.
Transitional measures requested by candidate countries have been agreed,
for example in areas where the effective application of the acquis requires
substantial prior financial investments. Examples are the construction of
waste water treatment plants in municipalities or the building up of
emergency oil stocks. Investment plans and detailed strategies for the
gradual compliance with the acquis have been agreed in such cases. Also, the
free movement of capital from current into new Member States with the aim to
buy land and secondary homes has been temporarily restricted.
Upon request of the Union, few well-defined and limited transitional
arrangements have been agreed in response to perceived regional or sectoral
disturbances resulting from the full application of the acquis in the
enlarged Union. The free movement of workers from new into current Member
States has been temporarily restricted, the protection of industrial property
rights for pharmaceutical products and community trademarks from the EU has
been enhanced and access to the national road transport markets (cabotage)
between current and certain new Member States has been temporarily
restricted.
© European Commission; Last modified: 2003-04-09
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