December 8, 1999. Copyright, 1999, Graphic News. All rights reserved

EXPANDING EUROPE
By Elisabeth Ribbans

LONDON, December 8, Graphic News:  CRITICS CALL it a ÒsuperstateÓ, advocates say it is a guarantor of peace and stability, but either way the planned expansion of the European Union is an historic economic and political experiment. Within a decade it is possible that the current 15-member union will embrace 28 countries (10 of them ex-communist), with a combined population of more than 500 million Ð almost twice that of the United States.

The EU has already opened formal talks with Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia. Now Commission President Romano Prodi is urging the EU heads of state meeting in Helsinki this week (Dec 9-11) to set January 1, 2003 as the date for accepting the first new members, and to open talks with a further six countries previously considered Òsecond tierÓ applicants. If they agree, it will dramatically speed up enlargement. The first new members had not been expected for at least five years.

ÒFor the first time since the fall of the Roman Empire, we have the chance to unite Europe... not by force of arms but on the basis of shared ideals and agreed common rules,Ó says Prodi, who wants Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Romania and Slovakia brought into negotiations as soon as possible. Turkey, which has been petitioning the EU for 30 years, looked certain to win pre-talks ÒcandidateÓ status at Helsinki, but last monthÕs death sentence on Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan may have spoiled its chances.

The EU offers tough membership criteria. A country must first prove the stability of the institutions that guarantee democracy, rule of law, human rights and protection for minorities. It must also have a functioning market economy capable of coping with competitive forces in the union, and it should be able to take on the obligations of membership, including adhering to its political, economic and monetary aims. The European Commission told Romania it would not become a candidate until it improved its care for orphans and expedited economic recovery. And Bulgaria has just removed a significant obstacle by agreeing to close four Soviet-built nuclear reactors.

After the initial screening, detailed negotiations begin on 31 chapters of EU legislation covering aspects such as social policy, security and free movement of capital. This process is conducted with each country individually and may take between three and 10 years depending on a candidateÕs preparedness. In all, there are 80,000 pages of legislation to be adopted. The result of the negotiations is turned into a draft accession treaty that is submitted to the European Council for approval and the European Parliament for assent. Once it has been signed, the treaty is submitted to the candidate country for ratification, which may take up to two years and involve a referendum. Once the treaty takes effect, the candidate becomes a member state.

The EU already has a successful history of enlargement. The six countries Ð Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands Ð that founded the then European Economic Community in 1957, became nine in 1973 when Denmark, Ireland and the UK were admitted. Eight years later they were joined by Greece, followed by Portugal and Spain in 1986. The newest members are Austria, Finland and Sweden, who acceded in 1995. But the enlargement facing the European Union at the new millennium is unprecedented in scope and cultural diversity. It will cost the EU an estimated 16 billion euros in aid and programmes just to bring on the first six countries. But studies have shown the trade benefits of a larger internal market will soon offset this expenditure.

Looking further into the 21st century, Romano Prodi has spoken of Albania and the Balkan states becoming eventual members of the union.
/ENDS