CYPRUS must liberalise its telecommunications sector earlier than it wishes to, EU Chief negotiator Leopold Maurer insisted yesterday.
Maurer who heads a seven-member EU team was speaking at a joint press conference with George Vassiliou, Cyprus’ chief negotiator in the accession talks.
Cyprus has asked for a one year transitional period in harmonising its telecommunications sector until the year 2003.
But Maurer said the guidelines given by the EU states were that there should be no transitional periods, no deviations for harmonisation to the acquis communautaire.
“You are treated as if you are already a member of the EU,” Maurer said, adding that when Cyprus joined the EU it would have to undertake all the obligations that other member states have.
The Austrian negotiator congratulated Cyprus for already presenting five chapters, while the five Eastern European candidates have completed only three.
But he said the second round of accession talks will deal with more difficult issues such as competition and state aid. He said Cyprus was being treated as an “external border country” of the EU.
“You have to become aware that you will become part of a union of 400 million people and we are keen that a country which is an external border fulfils all the requirements we have in our legislation,” Maurer said.
He mentioned issues such as immigration and veterinary controls, and also underlined the important role of parliament for the early adoption of the acquis.
Maurer repeated the EU’s stance that accession ought to benefit both communities in Cyprus and welcomed President Clerides’ long-standing invitation to the Turkish Cypriot side to participate in the EU negotiations.
The government has also launched a new web page on the internet at www.cyprus-eu.org.cy to help inform Turkish Cypriots on accession progress. “We think this process could contribute to the solution of the Cyprus problem,” Maurer said.
Vassiliou said Maurer would be presenting a progress report in mid-February and would be preparing the ground for substantiative negotiations in April and May.
“This was not a difficult negotiation but it was very important because the report will be prepared on the additional information gathered here,” Vassiliou said.
