I can well understand why Commissioner Verheugen is somewhat vexed by the fact that candidate countries are being toured in the name of the Council and the various Member States and being promised that they can definitely join our club one year or the other. Perhaps we can also talk a little about what part the Commission, the Council and Parliament should have in the talks that are now going on.
En soi, je peux parfaitement comprendre que M. le Commissaire Verheugen soit quelque peu irrité de ce que, au nom du Conseil et de différents États membres, on fasse la tournée des pays candidats en leur promettant que, l’année tant et tant, ils peuvent être sûrs qu’ils deviendront membres de notre club.