European Union" "
There are ten countries that could successfully conclude their negotiations for EU membership by the end of 2002, in time to participate in the European elections of 2004. This was announced by the Commisioner for enlargement, Günther Verheugen, on presenting the “Strategy Document” and “Report of the Commission” on the progress made towards membership by each candidate country to the plenary assembly of the European Parliament on 13 November. The countries in question are Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Hungary. So Bulgaria and Romania would be excluded; their slowness in meeting the necessary criteria is due especially to economic questions and the backwardness of their judicial and regional systems. Turkey also remains outside, due to her failure to give sufficient guarantees for the respect of human rights. The criteria for membership are divided into three categories: political criteria (stable and democratic institutions, state of law, human rights, protection of minorities); economic criteria (existence of a market economy and ability to meet EU competition rules); and criteria that indicate the capacity of the national system to adopt and apply EU legislation. Although none of the candidate countries satisfies each individual requisite for the time being, Prodi and Verheugen have affirmed that “the general progress and the Union’s financial situation up till 2006 permit the membership of a maximum of ten countries in 2004”.
