After the Copenhagen Summit in December 2002 which sanctioned the enlargement to the EU to ten new countries, the Union last week (19/2) completed the first procedural step towards their membership. In conformity with the Treaty, the Executive adopted an “Opinion favourable” to the entry of the ten candidates (Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia), which can now officially announce the holding of the national referendums to confirm their membership. Commenting on the adoption of the Opinion, the European Commissioner for enlargement Guenther Verheugen declared that it’s a “decision that crowns years of hard work. It’s based on the successful outcome of the negotiations and on the good performances of the candidates, and represents a further step towards the ideal of peace, stability and democracy in the area comprised between the Baltic and the Black Seas”. As a necessary preliminary to the ceremony for the official signing of the membership treaties (Athens, 16/4/2003), the procedure now requires endorsement by the European Parliament (9/4/2003) and the final decision of the Council (14/4/2003). The membership Treaties will enter into force on 15/4/2004, subject to ratification by the twenty-five national parliaments.
