Attitudes To FurTher Enlargement Of The Eu

Attitudes to further enlargement of the EU

In 2000 the European Council in Nice has marked the way for an EU expansion. The Nice Treaty has prepared the EU institutionally to expand to up to 27 countries.
In 1993 at the European Council summit in Copenhagen the three accession criteria’s where created: democracy, market economy and membership.

The European Union has experienced a very rough year both socially and economically. A mayor disappointment, this year has been the rejection of the constitution, in both France and Netherlands. Despite these rejections, the EU policy on expansion is that further enlargement is very likely. Up to now enlargement with countries from central and Eastern Europe has seen a big success. Bulgaria and Romania are next in line and should be joining 2008 if everything goes as planned. Talks with Turkey began on October the 3rd even though they are very controversial. Talks with Croatia have also begun. The expansion might even reach some countries of the western Balkans, and countries like Ukraine. An Important factor one must take into account when assessing the future of expansion in the EU, is the fact it is not easy for any government to deny talks and turn down hopes of membership, this would have severe political and economic retaliations. If we look in back in history not many politicians have denied access to any country, in fact the only one has said no, this was Charles de Gaulle who ruled twice against Britain.

On the other hand, some more pessimist viewers of what is actually going to happen in the EU, say that all this widening is only hypothetical and that it will be very unlikely that besides Romania and Bulgaria any other countries will join the club. Even Bulgaria and Romania don’t have a guaranteed place, in January 2007 the European commission will advice whether these countries are ready or not. If the candidates are not able to meet the requirements that the EU has imposed them, the treaty signed by...