ENLARGEMENT DG

European Union of 25

ENLARGEMENT DGPrevious enlargements:The EC started with 6 member States

1995 Austria, Sweden, Finland2004+10 …

2007 Bulgaria, Romania?? Turkey, Croatia

1986 Portugal, Spain

1973 UK, Ireland, DK 1981 Greece

1957 EC Six

ENLARGEMENT DG

(I) Preparations: Pre-accession Strategy

• Association Agreements• Pre-accession partnership• NPAA• Opening of Community programmes and

agencies for the applicant countries• Annual reports from the European Commission• Pre-accession Assistance (2000-2006):

– PHARE (€ 1.500 million per year)– ISPA (€ 1.000 million per year)– SAPARD (€ 500 million per year)

• Co-financing from International Financial Organizations

ENLARGEMENT DG (II) Negotiation process The EU has initiated accession negotiations with twelve

new candidate countries on 31 chapters

• 1. Free movement of goods • 2. Freedom of movement for

persons • 3. Freedom to provide

services • 4. Free movement of capital • 5. Company law • 6. Competition policy • 7. Agriculture • 8. Fisheries • 9. Transport policy • 10. Taxation • 11. Economic and monetary

union • 12. Statistics • 13. Social policy and

employment • 14. Energy • 15. Industrial policy • 16. Small and medium-sized

enterprises

• 17. Science and research • 18. Education and training • 19. Telecommunications and IT • 20. Culture and audiovisual policy • 21. Regional policy and structural

instruments • 22. Environment • 23. Consumers and health protection • 24. Justice and home affairs • 25. Customs union • 26. External relations • 27. Common foreign and security

policy • 28. Financial control • 29. Financial and budgetary

provisions • 30. Institutions • 31. Other

ENLARGEMENT DG

(II) Negotiation process Conditions for membership

European Council of Copenhagen (June 1993)• Stability of Institutions guaranteeing democracy, the

rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities

• The existence of a functioning market economy as well as the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union

• The ability to take on the obligations of membership (known as the “acquis communautaire” which consists of 31 chapters) including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union

ENLARGEMENT DG

(II) Negotiation process

The European Council of Copenhagen (Dec 2002) 13 years after the Berlin wall felt and almost 2 years since the

accession negotiations started:

– Negotiations concluded with 10 countries (Cyprus, Malta, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania). These countries become members of the EU the 1st of May 2004

– Bulgaria, Romania will continue negotiations, at least until 2007. Further progress should be done, specially regarding their judicial and administrative capacity.

– Turkey: If the European Council in December 2004, decides that Turkey fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria, the European Union could start accession negotiations with Turkey in 2005.

ENLARGEMENT DGSituation in the EU of 25after May 2004

• Reforms- Institutional reforms: IGC and new Constitution- Community Policies Reforms: CAP, Regional policy…etc

• Transitional measures: - free movement of persons (possible restrictions, max. 7 years!)- free movement of goods (license for medical devices and Pharmaceuticals)- Free movement of services (e.g., for reaching minimum levels of guarantees for

banking deposits or investor protection )- free movement of capital (acquisition of second residence and agriculture or

forestry land) …etc

• Single Currency: none of the new members will be able to adopt the Euro before 2006

• Schengen: accession to the European Union will not immediately lead to the lifting of internal border controls. Further external borders control.

• Safeguard measures: temporary possible remedial actions in case of problems

ENLARGEMENT DG

Future Enlargements of the EU???

“With the accession of ten new Member States to the European Union successfully accomplished, the European Council expressed its determination to continue the process it has engaged in with the candidate countries, while maintaining the momentum of European integration”

• The accession of Bulgaria, Romania and in a future Turkey

• Western Balkans: showed its intention at the Thessalonica Summit 2003. Stability and association process

• Croatia : status of “candidate country” as an encouragement to the other countries of the Western Balkans to pursue their reforms!

• Macedonia: submitted its application for membership in March 2004

• European Economic Area (?)

ENLARGEMENT DGEuropean Council December 2004Romania & Bulgaria

(1) Welcomed the successful completion of accession negotiations with:

• Bulgaria initiated negotiations in Feb. 2000 and provisionally closed the 31 chapters on 15 June 2004. Officially, negotiations concluded on 14 December 2004

• Romania initiated negotiations in Feb. 2000 and closed all the chapters on 14 December 2004

(2) Considered that both will be able to enter the EU on 1 January 2007, but compliance with commitments will be closely monitored by Brussels: provided that reform momentum is maintained and all commitments are completed in all areas

(3) Safeguard clauses will provide for measures to address serious problems that may arise, before accession or in the three years after accession, in particular in the areas of JHA, Competition and Environment

• Next steps:- Commission’s Regular Monitoring reports - Signature of Accession Treaty by 2005- Accession to the EU : January 2007

ENLARGEMENT DGTurkey Background towards accession

• Turkey applied for membership in 1987 and obtained the status of “candidate country” in 1999.

• Commission presented on 6 October 2004:-Commission regular Report significant progress towards compliance with political criteria

-Recommendation: Turkey fulfils the political criteria and recommends that accession negotiations be opened (2005) under some conditions:

* legislation and implementation needs to be further consolidated and broadened

*in case of problem, the Commission will recommend the suspension of negotiations. The Council will decide by qualified majority

-Impact study

Pre-Accession Strategy- Financial assistance (2004-2006): 11 billion euros

ENLARGEMENT DGEuropean Council December 2004Turkey

• The 25 European leaders decided to say yes to opening accession negotiations with Turkey, on the basis of the analysis of the European Commission:

- Negotiations will start on 3 October 2005

- The goal of these negotiations is EU membership. The talks will have an open ended character, meaning that there is no guaranteed outcome

- Turkey sufficiently fulfils the political criteria but the Council expects Turkey to actively pursue its efforts to bring into force" the six specific items of legislation already identified by the European Commission as crucial, as well as to implement the zero-tolerance policy relating to torture and ill-treatment.

- the Council "welcomed the declaration of Turkey that 'the Turkish Government confirms that it is ready to sign the Protocol on the adaptation of the Ankara Agreement prior to the actual start of accession negotiations (delicate compromise on the issue of Cyprus).

ENLARGEMENT DGCroatia Background towards accession

• Application for membership in February 2003. Positive Commission’s opinion (April 2004) on “candidate status” and the opening of negotiations ,welcomed by the European Council (June 2004)

• European Commission Strategy Paper 2004 (6 October 2004): pre-accession strategy for Croatia (Financial assistance: 105 M€ in 2005)

• Efforts are still needed in the fields of : minority rights, judiciary reform, the fight against corruption and regional co-operation, enhance its co-operation with the International Tribunal in the Hague and bring former general Ante Gotovina to the tribunal

• A bilateral intergovernmental conference with Croatia early in 2005 was convened in order to begin negotiations

ENLARGEMENT DGEuropean Council December 2004Croatia

• Negotiations with Croatia will conditionally begin on March 17th 2005, if it cooperates with the United Nations (UN) War Crimes Tribunal established for the former Yugoslavia. The Luxemburg Presidency , will decide whether or not Croatia has cooperated with the Tribunal

• It is expected that Croatia, with a population of about 4.5 million, will conclude its membership negotiations in 2007

• Date of accession still not defined

• Pre-Accession Strategy- Financial assistance (2005-2006): €105 million (€80 million for Phare and €25 million

for ISPA) in 2005 and €140million in 2006 (€80 million for Phare, €35 million for ISPA, and €25 million for SAPARD)

ENLARGEMENT DG

The Neighbourhood Policy of the EU

“Enlargement cannot -- and, I add, must not -- be the only response to those who want to strengthen their links with the Union”. R. Prodi.

EU launched a new proximity policy aimed at creating a ring of friends on the enlarged EU’s borders by enhancing relations with all of the EU’s neighbours – first and foremost Russia. The objective is to create a wider Europe, characterised by a single economic and social space, an area of stability and prosperity

ENLARGEMENT DG

The Neighbourhood Policy of the EUPartners:- Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova

- Mediterranean partners: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, as well as the Palestinian Authority

- inclusion of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia

http://europa.eu.int/comm/world/enp/index_en.htm

National Action Plans (3-5 years):

- Alignement with EU standars

- Co-peration on EU policies

- Dialogue on counter-terrorism

- Participation in EU Programmes

- Co-operation on JHA