EU Policy Areas

Enlargement

Enlargement is currently very much a hot topic in the EU, particularly as it necessitates a great deal of reform. However, the EU institutions see enlargement as one of the most important opportunities for the European Union at the beginning of the 21st century, as a means of furthering the integration of the continent by peaceful means and extending a zone of stability and prosperity to new members.

In March 1998, the EU formally launched the process that has made enlargement possible. Ten applicant countries then joined the EU on 1 May 2004: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Malta and Cyprus. In the case of the three pre-accession funds, PHARE, IPSA and SAPARD, the new Member States will have this funding gradually phased out and replaced by; the Structural Funds, the Cohesion Fund and Common Agricultural Policy funding respectively.

Bulgaria and Romania are expected to join the EU in 2007. Whilst over the coming ten years, the EU is likely to enlarge further to take in countries such as Croatia, Turkey and maybe the Ukraine.

More from http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/index.htm