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 2004: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia. 2007 Romania and Bulgaria

The European Union on the map New Member States (2007) Bulgaria, Romania Candidate Countries Croatia; 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

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 nearly 50 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 million new potential consumers and producers in rapidly growing economies Growth rates at 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 reforms before 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

Turkey / Croatia / FYROM Negotiation process

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” Draft common positions Candidate Country Negotiations Council 27 Member States

Accession negotiations: Chapters Free movement of goods Freedom of movement for workers Right of establishment and freedom to 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 coordination of 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

Candidate countries Under negotiation Candidate status Croatia opening of accession negotiations October 3 , 2005 Turkey opening of accession negotiations October 3 , 2005 Candidate status The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia: (European Council, December 2005)

Pre-accession Assistance 2004-2006 Turkey €1050 M Croatia ( 1 ) €326 M FYROM ( 1 ) €144M (1) Croatia and FYROM benefit also of part of CARDS regional cooperation assistance for Western Balkans .

Turkey: The long road to Accession Negotiations 1963 Association Agreement (Ankara) 1987 Membership application 1995 Customs Union 1999 European Council Helsinki: candidate country status Since 2002 successive “Reform packages” 2004 Turkey supports UNSG Annan plan for the reunification of Cyprus

Turkey: Start of the Negotiation December 2004 European Council :formal opening of negotiations, subject to additional legislative reforms + signature of Protocol to the Ankara Agreement. (TK “sufficiently” fulfils political criteria). July 2005 Signature of Protocol to Ankara Agreement extending the Customs Union to all Members States 3 October 2005 Adoption of the negotiation framework and opening of accession negotiations. June 2006 Opening and provisional closure of negotiations of 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, freedom of 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 2001 Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) signed. February 2005 SAA in force. March 2004 Positive Commission opinion. June 2004 Positive opinion endorsed by European Council. December 2004 European Council decides opening of negotiations for March 2005, subject to full cooperation with ICTY. Negotiations postponed: Full cooperation with ICTY not achieved. 3 October 2005 Negotiations opened after full cooperation with ICTY. June 2006 Opening and provisional closure of Science and Research chapter.

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) April 2001 Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) signed March 2004 Application for membership April 2004 Entry into force of the SAA November 2005 Commission’s opinion: recommends “candidate status” + further progress in reform process before negotiations can be opened December 2005 European Council agrees　→　«candidate» status granted.

Other Western Balkan countries

The potential candidates: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro European vocation’ confirmed at European Council of 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.

EU- Western Balkan relations (May 2006) Status of negotiations Albania SAA agreement signed in February 2006 Bosnia and Herzegovina Ongoing negotiations for an SAA Kosovo under UNSCR 1244 Future status negotiated under United Nations Montenegro New mandate for an SAA has been adapted after independence Serbia SAA negotiations frozen until full cooperation with ICTY. SAA mandate has been adapted after split with Montenegro

Financial Assistance for Western Balkan Countries: from CARDS to IPA 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 Documents http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/key_documents/phare_legislati on_and_publications_en.htm Delegation of the European Commission to Japan http://deljpn.ec.europa.eu.