Why enlargement?

Introduction
After successfully growing from 6 to 15 members, the European Union is now preparing for its biggest enlargement ever in terms of scope and diversity. 13 countries have applied to become new members: 10 countries in central and eastern Europe - Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia - and Malta, Cyprus and Turkey.

Ten of these, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Malta, and Cyprus should become full members on May 1 2004, pending approval at a national level through a referendum or their respective Parliaments.

Their accession will be in time for the elections to the European Parliament scheduled for June 2004.

These countries, with a wealth of different histories and cultures, have been preparing for membership for more than a decade. In order to join the Union, they needed to fulfil the economic and political conditions known as the 'Copenhagen criteria', according to which a prospective member must:

• be a stable democracy, respecting human rights, the rule of law, and the protection of minorities;
• have a functioning market economy;
• adopt the common rules, standards and policies that make up the body of EU law.

The EU assists these countries in taking on EU laws, known as the Acquis Communautaire, and provides a range of financial assistance to improve their infrastructure and economy.

Negotiations for membership were concluded with 10 out of 12 candidate countries (not yet with Turkey, which does not yet meet the political conditions) at the Copenhagen Summit in December 2002.

An unprecedented enlargement
Enlargement is one of the most important opportunities for the European Union at the beginning of the 21st century. It is a unique, historic task to further the integration of the continent by peaceful means, extending a zone of stability and prosperity to new members.

In March 1998 the EU formally launched the process that will make enlargement possible. It embraces the following thirteen applicant countries: Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Turkey.

At its summit in Luxembourg in December 1997, the European Council decided that the enlargement process should encompass:

• the European Conference, a multilateral framework bringing together ten central European countries, Cyprus and Turkey, which was launched on 12 March 1998;
• the accession process, covering ten central European countries and Cyprus, which was launched on 30 March 1998;
• the accession negotiations, which the European Council decided to open on 31 March 1998 with six countries, as recommended by the European Commission: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia.

Malta, which had 'frozen' its application for membership in 1996, reactivated it in October 1998.

Previous enlargements
The EU can already look back on a history of successful enlargements. The Treaties of Paris (1951), establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), and Rome (1957), establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) and EURATOM, were signed by six founding members: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The EU then underwent four successive enlargements:

1973
Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom

1981
Greece

1986
Portugal and Spain

1995
Austria, Finland and Sweden

However, the enlargement facing the EU today poses a unique challenge, since it is without precedent in terms of scope and diversity: the number of candidates, the area (increase of 34%) and population (increase of 105 million), the wealth of different histories and cultures.

The EU says third countries (non-EU members) will significantly benefit from an enlarged Union. A single set of trade rules, a single tariff, and a single set of administrative procedures will apply not only just across the existing Member States but across the Single Market of the enlarged Union. This will simplify dealings for third-country operators within Europe and improve conditions for investment and trade.

Source: MaltaMedia, Europa Server