European Commission Enlargement of the EU 3 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 Romania and Bulgaria 4 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) 5 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. 6 Conditions for membership Copenhagen - June, ) 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 EUs capacity to absorb new members. The 2004 Enlargement 8 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. 9 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 10 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 11 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! 12 Accession of Bulgaria and Romania 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 Km): Europe 25 : Approx. 4,000 Bulgaria 110,9 Romania 238,4 Sources: Eurostat Turkey / Croatia / FYROM Negotiation process 14 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 15 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 16 Commission Draft common positions Council 27 Member States Negotiation procedure Candidate Country Detailed analysis (monitoring) screening Negotiations 17 Accession negotiations: Chapters 1.Free movement of goods 2.Freedom of movement for workers 3.Right of establishment and freedom to provide services 4.Free movement of capital 5.Public procurement 6.Company law 7.Intellectual property law 8.Competition policy 9.Financial services 10.Information society and media 11.Agriculture 12.Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy 13.Fisheries 14.Transport policy 15.Energy 16.Taxation 17.Economic and monetary policy 18.Statistics 19.Social policy and employment 20.Enterprise and industrial policy 21.Trans-European Networks 22.Regional policy and coordination of structural instruments 23.Judiciary and fundamental rights 24.Justice, freedom and security 25.Science and research 26.Education and culture 27.Environment 28.Consumers and health protection 29.Customs union 30.External relations 31.Foreign security and defence policy 32.Financial control 33.Financial and budgetary provisions 34.Institutions 35.Other issues 18 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) 19 Pre-accession Assistance (1) Croatia and FYROM benefit also of part of CARDS regional cooperation assistance for Western Balkans Turkey 1050 M Croatia ( 1 ) 326 M FYROM ( 1 ) 144M 20 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 21 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 22 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, womens 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). 23 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. 24 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 Commissions 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 26 The potential candidates: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro European vocation confirmed at European Council of March 2006, following Thessaloniki Agenda of 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. 27 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 28 Financial Assistance for Western Balkan Countries: from CARDS to IPA CARDS Provides financial assistance to potential candidate Priority sectors for : 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) 29 Useful Internet Addresses Financial Pre-Accession Assistance: Documentson_and_publications_en.htmon_and_publications_en.htm Delegation of the European Commission to Japan