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European Commission. Enlargement of the EU. Previous enlargements. 1951 ECSC : France,Italy, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg 1973 : Denmark, Ireland, and UK 1981 : Greece 1986 : Spain and Portugal 1995 : Austria, Finland and Sweden
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Previous enlargements 1951 ECSC: France,Italy, Germany, Belgium,The Netherlands, Luxembourg 1973:Denmark, Ireland, and UK 1981: Greece 1986:Spain and Portugal 1995: Austria, Finland and Sweden 2004:Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia. 2007Romania and Bulgaria
The European Union on the map New Member States (2007) Bulgaria, Romania Candidate CountriesCroatia; FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) - Negotiations not yet started; Turkey Potential Candidate Countries Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia (including Kosovo under UNSCR 1244)
Conditions for Membership Treaty of the European Union (TEU) Article 49 of the TEU:Any European State which respects the principles set out in Article 6(1) may apply to become a member of the Union. Article 6 of the TEU:The Union is founded on the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law, principles which are common to the Member States.
Conditions for membership Copenhagen - June, 1993 1) Political criteria (enshrined in the TEU, article 6) The applicant country must have achieved stability of its institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities. 2) Economic criteria • Functioning market economy • Capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the EU. 3) Acquis adoption and implementation criteria • Ability to take on the obligations related to membership, including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union, and to implement them efficiently and effectively. • The EU’s capacity to absorb new members.
The 2004 enlargement • On1st May 2004, after 15 years of reforms, 10 new countries became members of the European Union. • Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia; • Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; • Slovenia; • Cyprus and Malta. • This enlargement added 75 million new citizens to the EU increasing its population to 450 million. • It is the symbol of Europe reconciliation after nearly50 years of being torn apart.
Benefits of the 2004 Enlargement (1) • Extended the zone of peace, stability and prosperity and set durably stable democracies in Europe • 75 millionnew potential consumers and producersin rapidly growing economies • Growth ratesat least twice as high.(2005 Growth rate of the EU15 = 2,1 Vs 4,6 for the new MS) • Positive trade balance for EU 15 =jobs maintained or created
Benefits of the 2004 Enlargement (2) Great impacts : • Level playing field for economic operators extended • Same EU rules and standards across the 25 countries • Goods, services, capital and people circulate freely(transitional periods on the free movement of workers) • Improved environment and food safety as new members have adopted EU environment and food safety policies
Q&A about the 2004 enlargement Was it expensive? • A cup of coffee a month is the price of that each citizen of the old member states has paid for helping to reunite Europe. Is there a flood of migration? • Labour migration was limited (Maximum 7 years). Positive economic impact where labour markets opened. Did it go too fast ? • 15 years of reformsbefore enlargement took place. • Widening and deepening always went together!
Accession of Bulgaria and Romania - 2007 Completes 2004 enlargement. With the accession of Bulgaria and Romania, The Europe of 27 is : • Total population: 493 million • GDP per inhabitant : EUR 21,503 (2004) • Geographical Area (in 1,000 Km²): • Europe 25 : Approx. 4,000 • Bulgaria 110,9 • Romania 238,4 Sources: Eurostat
Accession Negotiations: the process • Opening of chapters to the negotiations: • Screening • If negative: fulfillment of contractual obligations • EU-27 unanimous decision (Intergovernmental conference) • For each chapter to be opened: • Negotiating position by candidate country • Draft Common Position by Commission to the Member States • EU common position adopted by MS unanimously ---- Next step • Acquis, if not negotiable? • Transitional measures may be negotiated : limited in time and scope. Ex: free movement of workers environment
Monitoring of the accession process • Annual Progress reports by the Commission • Accession Partnership : Set the priorities for reforms • Peer reviews : Cover the issues mentioned in the reports
Negotiation procedure Commission Detailed analysis (monitoring) “screening” Draftcommonpositions CandidateCountry Negotiations Council27 MemberStates
Free movement of goods Freedom of movement for workers Right of establishment and freedomto provide services Free movement of capital Public procurement Company law Intellectual property law Competition policy Financial services Information society and media Agriculture Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy Fisheries Transport policy Energy Taxation Economic and monetary policy Statistics Social policy and employment Enterprise and industrial policy Trans-European Networks Regional policy and coordinationof structural instruments Judiciary and fundamental rights Justice, freedom and security Science and research Education and culture Environment Consumers and health protection Customs union External relations Foreign security and defence policy Financial control Financial and budgetary provisions Institutions Other issues Accession negotiations: Chapters
Candidate countries • Under negotiation • Croatiaopening of accession negotiations October 3 , 2005 • Turkeyopening of accession negotiations October 3 , 2005 • Candidate status • The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia:(European Council, December 2005)
Pre-accession Assistance (1) Croatia and FYROM benefit also of part of CARDS regional cooperation assistance for Western Balkans .
Turkey:The long road to Accession Negotiations 1963Association Agreement (Ankara) 1987Membership application 1995Customs Union 1999European Council Helsinki: candidate country status Since 2002successive “Reform packages” 2004Turkey supports UNSG Annan plan for the reunificationof Cyprus
Turkey:Start of the Negotiation December 2004European Council :formal opening of negotiations, subject to additional legislative reforms + signature of Protocol to the Ankara Agreement.(TK “sufficiently” fulfils political criteria). July 2005Signature of Protocol to Ankara Agreement extendingthe Customs Union to all Members States 3 October 2005Adoption of the negotiation framework and opening of accession negotiations. June 2006Opening and provisional closure of negotiationsof Science and Research chapter
“Three pillars” strategy for Turkey • Political reforms: • Accession Partnership + Regular Reports to monitor the process • Increased financial assistance from 2004 to promote reforms. • Continuous efforts needed i.a. on democracy and human rights, freedomof expression, freedom of religion, women’s rights, of minorities,and structural and market reforms. • Negotiation scheme: IGC UE-25 – Turkey • Unanimity required. Benchmarking before opening of negotiations, eg. implementation of Protocol to Ankara Agreement • Negotiations to be closed not before 2014, (new financial perspectives). • Possibility to suspend negotiations in case of violations of Political Criteria. • Civil Society Dialogue: • strengthening links EU-Turkey. Civil Society(Communication in June 2005).
Croatia 2001Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) signed. February 2005SAA in force. March 2004Positive Commission opinion. June 2004Positive opinion endorsed by European Council. December 2004European Council decides opening of negotiations for March 2005,subject to full cooperation with ICTY. Negotiations postponed:Full cooperation with ICTY not achieved. 3 October 2005Negotiations opened after full cooperation with ICTY. June 2006Opening and provisional closureof Science and Research chapter.
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) April 2001Stabilization and Association Agreement(SAA) signed March 2004Application for membership April 2004Entry into force of the SAA November 2005Commission’s opinion: recommends “candidate status”+ further progress in reform process before negotiationscan be opened December 2005European Council agrees → «candidate» status granted.
The potential candidates: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro • European vocation’ confirmed at European Councilof March 2006, following Thessaloniki Agenda of 2003. • Continuation of the Stabilization and Association Process (SAP) : the overall EU policy framework for the Western Balkans.Main SAP instruments: • Stabilization and Association Agreements (SAA) • trade measures • financial assistance (CARDS program) • Regional cooperation • Close monitoring:annual Progress reports + European Partnerships.
Financial Assistance for Western Balkan Countries: from CARDS to IPA • CARDS 2005 -2006 • Provides financial assistance to potential candidate • Priority sectors for 2005-2006: • Administrative capacity building • democratic stabilisation • justice and home affairs • economic and social development • environment and natural resources • IPA from 2007 onwards: All candidates and potential candidate countries will be eligible to the new financial instrument (IPA)
Useful Internet Addresses • Financial Pre-Accession Assistance:http://ec.europa.eu./enlargement/financial_assistance/index_en.htm • Documentshttp://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/key_documents/phare_legislation_and_publications_en.htm • Delegation of the European Commission to Japan http://deljpn.ec.europa.eu.