The applications of 10 Central and Eastern European countries were given a favourable reception at the Luxembourg European Council (December 1997). The official accession negotiations then proceeded in two phases. On 30 March 1998, negotiations began with six "first wave" countries (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovenia). The "second wave" candidate countries (Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Romania and Slovakia) began negotiations in February 2000, when it was felt that their reforms had made rapid enough progress.
Before negotiations opened, an evaluation of each applicant country's legislation was carried out to set up a work programme and define negotiating positions.
The accession negotiations examine the applicants' capacity to fulfil the requirements of a Member State and to apply the body of Community laws (the "acquis") at the time of their accession, in particular the measures required to extend the single market, which will have to be implemented immediately. The negotiations also look at the issue of the pre-accession aid the European Union may provide in order to help with the incorporation of the acquis. The negotiations can be concluded even if the acquis has not been fully transposed, as transitional arrangements can be applied after accession.
The negotiations proper take the form of bilateral Intergovernmental Conferences (European Union/applicant country), bringing the ministers together every six months and the ambassadors every month. The common negotiating positions have been defined by the Commission for each of the chapters relating to matters of Community competence and approved unanimously by the Council. The results of the negotiations are incorporated in a draft accession treaty. This must be approved by the Union and ratified by the Member States and the applicant countries.
At the Copenhagen European Council (12 and 13 December 2002), the Commission concluded the negotiations with 10 applicant countries: the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, thus enabling them to join the Union on 1 May 2004. As far as Bulgaria and Romania are concerned, the goal is to conclude negotiations in time for them to join in 2007. The possibility of opening negotiations with Turkey will be examined in December 2004.
See:
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Accession partnership•
Applicant countries•
Bilateral Intergovernmental Conference (EU-Applicant countries)•
Community acquis•
Enlargement•
European Conference•
Incorporation of the Community acquis•
Pre-accession aid•
Pre-accession strategy•
Programme of Community aid to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Phare)•
Screening•
TAIEX (Technical Assistance Information Exchange Office)
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