Transcript Document
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
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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)
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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!
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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
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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
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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
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Negotiation procedure
Commission
Draft
common
positions
Candidate
Country
Council
27 Member
States
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Accession negotiations: Chapters
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18.
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
19.
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25.
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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
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Candidate countries
Under negotiation
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)
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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 .
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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
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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
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“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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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)
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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.
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