In order to join the union the three new countries that wish to become members must fulfil the economic and political conditions, which are known as the ‘Copenhagen Criteria’. This sets out that a prospective member must:
- be a stable democracy, respecting human rights, the rule of law and the protection of minorities
- have a functioning market economy
- adopt the common rules, standards and policies that make up the body of EU law
(www.europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/print-enlargement.htm)
Successive enlargements have made a good deal of difference to the character and size of the EU. Enlarging the EU will also make Europe more secure, more prosperous and more effective in many ways. It won’t just have an impact on the EU in terms of size but it will also benefit the EU’s economy.
- There will be more prosperity in the European Union. It is estimated that enlargement will create over 300,000 new jobs in original member states and around two million jobs in the new member states
- It will also mean more opportunities for consumers. It will mean access to a wider range of goods and services as well as opening up new opportunities to travel, live and work throughout Europe.
- European companies will benefit from access to the largest single market for trade and investment in the world. This market is larger than the USA and Japan combined!
- The fight against terrorism will be now more effective as they will apply to an enlarged EU of 27 member states rather than the original 15 member states
- Enlargement will boost co – operation between present member states in helping with issues such as crime, drug trafficking and people smuggling
- The prospect of enlargement has already made a real difference to the political stability and international security in central and Eastern Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean
- The new member states have made major improvements in air and water quality to meet EU standards. This will result in the reduction of cross border pollution
- The EU as a whole body will now have a louder voice in the world with a population of 450 million. This should be of benefit in such things as international negotiations.
- To be part of the EU the criteria demands stable institutions that guarantee human rights, democracy, rule of law and respect for and protection of minorities. This improves and maintains the standard of living for many citizens across Europe, as each country will alter their practices and legislation to the EU standards.
- Enlargement prompted the Agenda 2000 package of internal policy reforms agreed at the Berlin European Council in 1999 and also the institutional reforms agreed at the Nice European Council in December 2000. It will continue like this and aim to improve the effectiveness and transparency of the EU.
(www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?=Openmarket/Xcelerate)
Although the size and economy will alter and change greatly due to enlargement and the accession of new countries in the European Union, so too will EU regional and economic policies
“The European Union is one the most prosperous economic zones in the world”
(www.europa.eu.int/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/160013.htm)
Both regional and economic policies will have to alter to assist the accession of new member states. European regional policy is a policy that promotes solidarity. It sets aside more than one third of the budget of the European Union to help bridge the gaps in development of both regions and also differences among the citizens. The main aim of the policy is to boost job creation as well as strengthening economic, social and territorial ‘cohesion’ of the Union. From 1992 the Regional policy began to accommodate new member countries. In 1992 the Treaty of the European Union marks cohesion as one of the main objectives of the Union, along with economic and monetary union and the single market. Between the years 1994 – 1999 various policies were introduced to aid the Phare programme of the EU whose priorities were to strengthen the administrative and institutional capacity of new member countries and also to finance investment projects throughout the EU. The two main policies set up and designed to aid this were ISPA (the Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre – accession) and also SAPARD (Special Accession Programme for agriculture and Rural Development). These helped to finance transport, environment and also agriculture in the EU. In March 2000 The European Council in Lisbon adopted a strategy that focused on employment in order to make the Union competitive and dynamic in the world and this was later linked with sustainable development. By December 2002 The European Council in Copenhagen agreed on the conditions for the accession of the new member countries.
“Although the European Union is one of the richest parts of the world, there are striking internal disparities of income and opportunity between its regions”
(www.europa.int/scadplus/leg/en/lvb/160013.htm)
Solidarity and cohesion and the main two values that underlay regional policy in the EU – solidarity because the policy aims to benefit citizens and also regions that are economically and socially deprived compared to EU averages and cohesion because there are positive benefits for all in narrowing the gaps of income and wealth between the poorer countries and regions and those that are better off.
“The Unions environment is changing fast, both internally and externally. It must set about adapting, developing and reforming itself. Enlargement represents a historic turning point for Europe, an opportunity which it must seize for the sake of its security, its economy, its culture and its status in the world”
Jacques Santer, President of the commission, Strasbourg, 16th July 1997
(Avery & Cameron 2001 p 175)
In conclusion, I feel that enlargement, overall, will have a major impact on both the size and economy of the European Union. Although the EU will become a larger trading block, of approximately 500 million people, the relatively underdeveloped nature of the new member states’ economies will mean that the impact on trade will be felt in the medium and long term rather than short term. The alteration of both the economic and regional policies in order to accommodate the accession of the new member countries will bring about a sense of cohesion and co – operation into the union as well as a sense of belonging.
“Enlargement does not only serve as a momentum for institutional reform, it also provides current member states with the opportunity to re – open existing policy deals and bargain for a more advantageous outcome”
(Stennenberg 2001 p 365)
Bibliography
Avery, G & Cameron, F (2001) The Enlargement of the European Union. England: Sheffield Academic Press.
Cameron, F (2004) The Future Of Europe. London: Routledge
Cremona, M (2003) The Enlargement of the European Union. New York: Oxford University Press.
Neuwahl, N & Lynch, P (ed) (2000) Reforming the European Union from Maastricht to Amsterdam. London: Longman.
EUROPA (2004) An unprecedented enlargement. (online). Europe. Available from: (www.europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/intro/index_en.htm) (Accessed on 25/10/2004)
EUROPA (2004) Overviews of the European Union activities. (online). Available from: () (Accessed on 26/10/2004)
EUROPA (2004) Structural actions in support of enlargement (online). Available from: () (Accessed on 19/10/2004)
EUROPARL (2004) Reuniting Europe – The fifth enlargement (online). Available from:() (Accessed on 26/10/2004)
EUROPARL (2004) Benefits of enlargement (online). Available from: ( ) (Accessed on 05/11/2004)
