Enlargement, 1957 to 2007
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Enlargement of the European Union has occured six times since the Union's de facto predecessor, the European Coal and Steel Community, was established by six founding states in 1951. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The geographic term Western Germany (Westdeutschland is used to describe a region in the west of Germany. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Luxembourg (Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small Landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The European Union is a unique entity possessing elements of Intergovernmentalism, Supranationalism and a Multi-party Parliamentary democracy The Treaties of the European Union are a set of international treaties between the Union's member states which sets out the counstitutional basis of the The Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union, TEU) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final The Treaty of Maastricht, which established the European Union, divided EU policies into three main areas called pillars. The Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty of the European Union the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts, commonly known as the Amsterdam Treaty The Nice Treaty was signed by European leaders on 26 February, 2001 and came into force on 1 February 2003. The Treaty of Lisbon (also known as the Reform Treaty) is a Treaty designed to streamline the workings of the European Union (EU with amendments to the There are currently five institutions of the European Union which govern the Union The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive branch of the European Union. The President of the European Commission is the head of the European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union. José Manuel Durão Barroso (ʒuˈzɛ mɐnuˈɛɫ duˈɾɐ̃ũ bɐˈʁozu born 23 March 1956 is the 12th President of the European Commission. The Barroso Commission is the European Commission that has been in office since 22 November 2004 and is due to serve until 31 October 2009 The European Parliament ( Europarl or EP) is the only directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU The President of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. Hans-Gert Pöttering (often written as Poettering; born September 15, 1945 in Bersenbrück, Lower Saxony) is a German A Member of the European Parliament ( English abbreviation MEP) is a member of the European Union 's legislative body the European Parliament. The Council of the European Union is the principal decision making institution in the European Union (EU Presidency of the Council of the European Union is the responsibility for the functioning of the Council of the European Union which is rotated between European Union Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west Dimitrij Rupel (born April 7, 1946) is a Slovenian Politician and the current Foreign minister of that country The High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (HR is the main co-ordinator of the Common Foreign and Security Policy within the European Union Voting procedures for decisions not requiring unanimity Here is an overview of the formerly used currently used and proposed voting systems employed in the Council of the European The European Council (referred to as a European Summit) is the highest political body of the European Union. There are currently five institutions of the European Union which govern the Union There are currently five institutions of the European Union which govern the Union This article refers to the European Union court not the European Court of Human Rights of the Council of Europe The Court of Justice The European Court of Auditors is the fifth institution of the European Union (EU The European Central Bank (ECB is one of the world's most important Central banks responsible for Monetary policy covering the 15 member countries of the Elections in the European Union take place every five years by universal adult suffrage. Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according Two member states of the European Union held elections to the European Parliament in 2007. Elections to the European Parliament will be held from 4 June to 7 June 2009 in the 27 member states of the European Union, using varying election In six European Union Member States ( Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom) the national A European political party, formally a political party at European level, informally (especially in academic circles a Europarty, is a type of Political party The European Parliament is unique among supranational assemblies because it organizes itself around ideological rather than national groups Origins of the EU History of the European Union European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC Euratom A Member State of the European Union is any one of the twenty-seven sovereign Nation states that have acceded the European Union (EU since its De facto This article deals with relations between the European Union and third countries The Law of the European Union is the unique legal system which operates alongside the laws of Member States of the European Union (EU In economics a Monetary union is a situation where several countries have agreed to share a single currency amongst themselves There are currently five institutions of the European Union which govern the Union The agencies of the European Union (or decentralised bodies of the European Union) are bodies which are distinct from the European Union's institutions, Information on politics by country is available for every Country, including both De jure and De facto independent The European Coal and Steel Community ( ECSC) was a six-nation International organisation serving to unify Western Europe during the Cold War and creating Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January Thus the number of EU Member States has grown to twenty-seven. A Member State of the European Union is any one of the twenty-seven sovereign Nation states that have acceded the European Union (EU since its De facto The largest enlargement occurred on May 1, 2004, when 10 new countries acceded the European Union (EU). Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Most recently, Bulgaria and Romania joined the bloc on January 1, 2007. The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Currently, accession negotiations are underway with several states. The process of enlargement is sometimes referred to as European integration. European integration is the process of political legal economic (and in some cases social and cultural integration of European states including some states that are partly in Europe However, this term is also used to refer to the intensification of cooperation between EU member states as national governments allow for the gradual centralising of power within European institutions.

In order to join the European Union, a state needs to fulfill the economic and political conditions generally known as the Copenhagen criteria (after the Copenhagen summit in June 1993), which require a secular, democratic government, the rule of law, and its corresponding freedoms and institutions. The Copenhagen criteria are the rules that define whether a country is eligible to join the European Union. Copenhagen (ˌkəʊpənˈheɪgən ˌkəʊpənˈhɑːgən ˈkəʊpənˌheɪgən ˈkəʊpənˌhɑːgən kʰøb̥ənˈhɑʊ̯ˀn kʰøb̥m̩ˈhɑʊ̯ˀn is the capital and largest city According to the EU Treaty, each current member state and also the European Parliament have to agree to any enlargement. The Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union, TEU) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final The European Parliament ( Europarl or EP) is the only directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU

The present EU Treaty - the Treaty of Nice - does not provide for the voting arrangements to be adopted for more than the present 27 members. The Nice Treaty was signed by European leaders on 26 February, 2001 and came into force on 1 February 2003. Although the proposed European Constitution did provide such a mechanism, it was abandoned after referenda in two countries prevented its ratification. The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (TCE commonly referred to as the European Constitution, was an unimplemented international Treaty intended The newly signed Treaty of Lisbon provides this mechanism, but has yet to be ratified. The Treaty of Lisbon (also known as the Reform Treaty) is a Treaty designed to streamline the workings of the European Union (EU with amendments to the

Enlargement may lead to negative commercial consequences for other WTO Member States. The EU and the US have agreed in March 2006 to provide compensation for negative consequences associated with the 2004 enlargement. ^[1]

Historical enlargements

Main article: History of the European Union

Founding members

The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was proposed by Robert Schuman in his declaration on 9 May 1950 and involved the pooling the coal and steel industries of France and West Germany. This article refers to the development of what is now the European Union, and to developments within those countrieswhich constitute it at the time of or near to The European Coal and Steel Community ( ECSC) was a six-nation International organisation serving to unify Western Europe during the Cold War and creating Robert Schuman (29 June 1886 4 September 1963 was a noted French Statesman The Schuman Declaration is a governmental proposal by then- French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman to place the Coal and Steel industries of Events 1457 BC - Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC between Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition under the King of Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( Joining this project were the Benelux countries of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands who already achieved a degree of integration between themselves. The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe that includes three neighboring monarchies, '''Be'''lgium, the '''Ne'''therlands, and The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Luxembourg (Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg Grand-Duché de Luxembourg Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small Landlocked country in Western Europe, bordered by The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands These countries were joined by Italy and they all signed the Treaty of Paris on 23 July 1952. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Treaty of Paris, signed on 18 April, 1951 between France, West Germany, Italy and the three BeNeLux countries Events 1632 - Three hundred colonists bound for New France depart from Dieppe France. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. These same six countries, dubbed the 'inner six' (as opposed to the 'outer seven' who formed the European Free Trade Area who suspicious of such plans for integration) went on to sign the Treaties of Rome establishing two further communities, together known as the European Communities when they merged their executives in 1967. The European Community (EC is one of the Three pillars of the European Union (EU created under the Maastricht Treaty (1992

De Gaulle's veto delayed the first enlargement.

The Community did see some loss of territory due to the decolonialisation occurring in their era, for example Algeria, which was an integral part of France and hence the Community, gained independence on 5 July 1962 and hence left the Community. See Colony and Colonization for examples of colonialism which do not refer to Western colonialism Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England. Year 1962 ( MCMLXII) was a Common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. There was no enlargement until the 1970s. The United Kingdom, which previously refused to join, changed its policy following the Suez crisis and applied to be a member of the Communities. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, (أزمة السويس - العدوان الثلاثي Crise du canal de Suez מבצע קדש Kadesh However, French President Charles de Gaulle vetoed Britain's membership fearing its US influence. The President of the French Republic (Président de la République française colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is France 's elected Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle ( ( 22 November 1890 – 9 November 1970) was a French General and statesman who led the Free French The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Due to this, other members of EFTA suspended their applications which had been put forward with Britain's.

First enlargements

Once de Gaulle had left office, the door to enlargement was once again opened. Together with Britain, Denmark, Ireland and Norway applied and were accepted, however the Norwegian government lost a national referendum on membership and hence did not accede with the others on 1 January 1973. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar.

The 1970s also saw the restoration of democracy in Greece, Spain and Portugal. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Greece joined in 1981 and the two Iberian countries in 1986. 1985 however saw the only time a country had voted to leave the Community, when Greenland was granted home rule by Denmark and the territory used its new powers and voted to withdraw from the Community (See member state territories). Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat meaning "Land of the Greenlanders" Grønland is a self-governing Danish Province located between the Home rule refers to a demand that constituent parts of a state be given greater self-government within the greater administrative purview of the central government As of 2007 the European Union has 27 member states, most of which participate in all EU policy areas and programs or have signed up to do so

Post-Cold War

In 1989/1990 the Cold War came to an end, on 3 October 1990 East Germany and West Germany were reunified, hence East Germany became part of the Community in the new reunified Germany (not increasing the number of states). Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the Events 42 BC - First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state German reunification (Deutsche Wiedervereinigung took place twice after 1945 first in 1957 the Saarland was permitted to join the Federal Republic of Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Community later became the European Union in 1993 by virtue of the Maastricht Treaty. The Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union, TEU) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final In part due to the end of Cold War tensions, the EFTA states bordering the old eastern bloc applied to join the Community. During the Cold War, the term Communist Bloc (or Soviet Bloc) was used to refer to the Soviet Union and countries it either controlled or that were On 1 January 1995 Austria, Finland and Sweden acceded to the EU marking its fourth enlargement. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation.

The Iron Curtain's fall enabled eastward enlargement. The " Iron Curtain " was the symbolic ideological and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II until the end (Berlin Wall)

The end of the Cold War and westernisation of Eastern Europe led to the EU wanting to establish standards for new entrants so their suitability could be judged. The Berlin Wall (Berliner Mauer was a physical barrier separating West Berlin from the German Democratic Republic (GDR ( East Germany) including These Copenhagen criteria stated that a country must be a democracy, operate a free market and be willing to adopted the entire body of EU law already agreed upon. The Copenhagen criteria are the rules that define whether a country is eligible to join the European Union. Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system A free market is a Market in which property rights are voluntarily exchanged at a price arranged completely by the mutual consent of sellers and buyers The Law of the European Union is the unique legal system which operates alongside the laws of Member States of the European Union (EU

Eastern bloc enlargements

8 of these countries (Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia), plus the Mediterranean islands of Malta and Cyprus, joined on 1 May 2004. The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia ( Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west Malta, officially the Republic of Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta is a European Microstate, comprising an Archipelago of three islands Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " This was the largest single enlargement in terms of people and landmass, though the smallest in terms of GDP. The less developed nature of these countries were of concern to some of the older member states, who placed temporary restrictions on the travel and rights of work of eastern citizens to their countries. The migration that occurred regardless spawned clichés in the west such as the "polish plumber" despite the benefit of them to the economies being acknowledged. Polish Plumber (Plombier polonais polski hydraulik was a phrase first used by Philippe de Villiers as a symbol of cheap labour coming in from Central Europe as a

The sixth enlargement^[2] to Romania (see accession of Romania) and Bulgaria (see accession of Bulgaria), who were not ready to join in 2004, took place on 1 January 2007. Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania The Accession of Romania to the European Union took place on 1 January 2007 The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian The accession of Bulgaria to the European Union took place on 1 January 2007 New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. They, like the 2004 countries, faced some restrictions. The lack of progress in some areas such as the judiciary led to further restrictions, such as EU funds they would normally receive, until they fully complied.

Criteria and methods

Population and GDP per capita of EU member states and some candidates.

In 1989, the European Community's Phare program was created. Phare is also the name of a proposed Skyscraper in Paris. The Phare programme is one of the three pre-accession instruments financed by the It aimed to provide financial support for potential accession countries so that they could expand and reform their economies. To join the EU an applicant country must meet the following Copenhagen criteria established by the European Council in 1993:

• Stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities. The Copenhagen criteria are the rules that define whether a country is eligible to join the European Union.
• The existence of a functioning market economy as well as the capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market forces within the Union.
• The ability to take on the obligations of membership including adherence to the aims of political, economic and monetary union.

In December 1995, the Madrid European Council revised the membership criteria to include conditions for member country integration through the appropriate adjustment of its administrative structures: since it is important that European Community legislation be reflected in national legislation, it is critical that the revised national legislation be implemented effectively through appropriate administrative and judicial structures. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995

In order to assess progress achieved by countries in preparing for accession to the European Union, the European Commission submits 'Regular Reports' to the European Council. The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive branch of the European Union. The European Council (referred to as a European Summit) is the highest political body of the European Union. These serve as the basis upon which the Council takes decisions on negotiations or their extension to other candidates. Since 1993, the Commission has presented a complete set of Regular Reports on a yearly basis, covering the 10 now member countries in Central and Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia) as well as Cyprus, Malta and Turkey.

Future enlargement

Main article: Future enlargement of the European Union

     current members      candidate countries      potential candidate countries      application frozen as negotiations rejected in a referendum      application rejected by the EC      accession rejected in two referenda (1972 and 1994)

In the Treaty of Maastricht (Article 49), it is stated that any European country that respects the principles of the European Union may apply to join. The future enlargement of the European Union is open to any European country which is democratic operates a Free market or Mixed economy, and is willing The European Council (referred to as a European Summit) is the highest political body of the European Union. A Referendum on whether Norway should join the European Community was held on 25 September 1972. A Referendum on whether Norway should join the European Union was held on 28 November 1994. The Maastricht Treaty (formally the Treaty on European Union, TEU) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final The Copenhagen European Council set out the conditions for EU membership in June 1993 in the so-called Copenhagen criteria. The Copenhagen criteria are the rules that define whether a country is eligible to join the European Union. Whether a country is European or not is a subject to political assessment by the EU institutions, but countries in the Council of Europe that fall onto the border between Europe and Asia all have a significant claim for EU membership, as shown with the accession of geographically Asian, but culturally European, Cyprus. The Copenhagen criteria are the rules that define whether a country is eligible to join the European Union. The Council of Europe (Conseil de l'Europe is the oldest International organisation working towards European integration, being founded in 1949 This is a list of countries spanning more than one continent, sometimes referred to as transcontinental states. Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía

At present, a country must first sign a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SSA) with the EU before applying for membership, which, if successful, will result in the state being awarded the status of an official candidate. In talks with countries who have expressed the wish to join the European Union (EU the EU typically concludes Association Agreements in exchange for commitments to political Negotiations then take place where it adopts EU norms which, once fully taken on board, will result in accession. The Western Balkan states are currently adopting SSA agreements with Croatia and Macedonia joining Turkey in achieving candidate status.

Candidate countries

Croatia

Main article: Accession of Croatia to the European Union

Croatia with the European Union

Croatia applied for EU membership in 2003, and the European Commission recommended making it an official candidate in early 2004. Croatia applied for European Union membership in 2003 and the European Commission recommended making it an official candidate in early 2004 Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive branch of the European Union. Candidate country status was granted to Croatia by the European Council (the EU's heads of government) in mid-2004 and a date for the beginning of entry negotiations, while originally set for early 2005, was postponed to October of the same year. The European Council (referred to as a European Summit) is the highest political body of the European Union. Following the opening of accession negotiations on October 3, 2005, the process of screening 33 acquis chapters with Croatia was completed on October 18, 2006. Events 42 BC - First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

After Slovenia, Croatia has recovered best from the break-up of the former Yugoslavia and so hopes to become the second former Yugoslav state to become a member. Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west It has a stable market economy, and has had better statistical indicators than Bulgaria and Romania which joined in 2007.

In late 2005, the EU officials projected that the accession of Croatia would likely happen between 2010 and 2012. In October 2006, Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn stated: "If Croatia will be able to reform its judiciary and economy with rigour and resolution, then it is likely to be ready around the end of this decade. Olli Ilmari Rehn ( (born 31 March 1962) is a Finnish politician currently serving as European Commissioner for Enlargement. "^[3] In any case, the EU needs to consider its internal problems before accommodating any new member after Bulgaria and Romania; under the current Treaty of Nice, the EU cannot have more than 27 members. The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Romania ( dated: Rumania, Roumania The Nice Treaty was signed by European leaders on 26 February, 2001 and came into force on 1 February 2003. The EU Constitution provided one solution to this problem, but its rejection by two member states in referenda means that other solutions are required. The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (TCE commonly referred to as the European Constitution, was an unimplemented international Treaty intended The new Treaty of Lisbon would solve its internal issues and therefore clear the way for accession. The Treaty of Lisbon (also known as the Reform Treaty) is a Treaty designed to streamline the workings of the European Union (EU with amendments to the A likely date for this treaty entering into force after end of negotiations is 1 January 2009. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC This article is about the year For the film see 2009 Lost Memories.

The finalisation of all chapters of the acquis communautaire is expected in September 2009, while signing the accession treaty would happen in the year after. The term acquis communautaire, or (EU acquis (aˈki is used in European Union law to refer to the total body of EU law accumulated thus far Before starting negotiations with Croatia, the acquis was divided into 35 chapters, 4 more than the usual 31; the new chapters, previously part of the agricultural policy, are areas expected to be troublesome, as they were with the other applicants. Croatia is expected to be a full EU member by 2010^[4].

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

Main article: Accession of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the European Union

FYR Macedonia with the European Union

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia applied to become an official candidate on March 22, 2004. The accession of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to the European Union is one of the highest strategic priorities for the country's government The Republic of Macedonia (Република Events 238 - Gordian I and his son Gordian II are proclaimed Roman emperor. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " On November 9, 2005 the European Commission recommended that it become a candidate state. Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. EU leaders agreed to this recommendation on December 17, formally naming the country as an official candidate, but no date for starting negotiations has been announced yet. Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila

The country has a dispute with its southern neighbour and current EU member, Greece, over the name Macedonia (see: Macedonia naming dispute). Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Background See also Foreign relations of the Republic of Macedonia#Greece, Foreign relations of Greece#Balkans Controversy and conflict Because of this, the EU recognises the country as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and this is the only denotation by which the country may hold negotiations with the EU. Resolution of this issue is technically not a precondition for membership,^[5] but Greece and Cyprus have stated that they will veto the country's accession unless an agreement on the naming issue is reached.

Peace is maintained with underlying ethnic tensions over Albanians in the west that achieved greater autonomy through the implementation of the Ohrid Accords. The Ohrid Framework Agreement was the peace deal signed by the government of the Republic of Macedonia and ethnic Albanian representatives on August 13, Unlike Serbia, it has maintained sovereignty over all its territory. Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski has suggested that the country could join in 2012 or 2013. Nikola Gruevski (Никола Груевски) (born 31 August 1970 in Skopje) is the prime minister of the Republic of Macedonia since 2013 ( MMXIII) will be a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[6] However, the EU has not come out with any official recognition of this suggested time period.

On December 17, 2005 the European Council welcomed and congratulated the country's achievements in implementing multiple reforms and agreements (Copenhagen criteria, Stabilisation and Association process, Ohrid Agreement). Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The European Council (referred to as a European Summit) is the highest political body of the European Union. The Copenhagen criteria are the rules that define whether a country is eligible to join the European Union. In talks with countries who have expressed the wish to join the European Union (EU the EU typically concludes Association Agreements in exchange for commitments to political The Ohrid Framework Agreement was the peace deal signed by the government of the Republic of Macedonia and ethnic Albanian representatives on August 13, It supports the continuation of this process. Further concrete steps in the country's EU membership (i. e. commencing of negotiations) will be possible after the debate on the general Enlargement policy of the EU. The Council notes also that the absorption capacity of the EU will be taken into account. ^[7]

In 2008, Athens said it will block Macedonia's NATO and European Union accession until the two agree on a name for Greece's northern neighbour, which broke away from Yugoslavia in 1991. Greece rejects the name Macedonia because it says it implies territorial ambitions towards Greece's own northern province of Macedonia, birthplace of Alexander the Great. Dora Bakoyannis, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece, accused Macedonia of "an intransigent stance and its action of an irredentist and nationalistic logic". Dora Bakoyannis ( Greek: Ντόρα Μπακογιάννη born Theodora Mitsotakis) ( May 6 1954) is a Greek politician the current "I underlined that the intransigence that has persisted to date . . . has left us with no other choice," she said. "We are not happy about that. Nobody likes vetoes. "^[8] Following irregularities in the country's parliamentary elections in June 2008, there are fears among the international community and Greece that the Macedonian side will unilaterally withdraw from negotiations unless Greece concedes group to FYR Macedonia on the issue.

Turkey

Main article: Accession of Turkey to the European Union

Turkey with the European Union

The status of Turkey with regard to the EU has become a matter of major significance and considerable controversy in recent years. Turkey's application to acceede to the European Union (previously the European Communities) was made on 14 April 1987 Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Turkey is one of the founding members of the Council of Europe since 1949 and has been an associate member of the European Union and its predecessors since 1964 following the signing of the EEC-Turkey Association Agreement (Ankara Agreement) in 1963. The Council of Europe (Conseil de l'Europe is the oldest International organisation working towards European integration, being founded in 1949 The Agreement Creating An Association Between The Republic of Turkey and the European Economic Community (the " Ankara Agreement " made on December 1, The country formally applied for full membership on April 14, 1987, but 12 years passed before it was recognised as a candidate country at the Helsinki Summit in 1999. Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) After a summit in Brussels on December 17, 2004, the European Council announced that membership negotiations with Turkey were officially opened on October 3, 2005. Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Events 42 BC - First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The screening process which began on October 20, 2005 was completed on October 18, 2006. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

Turkey, classified as a developed country by the CIA,^[9] with the seventh largest economy in the Council of Europe and the fifteenth largest economy in the world, is part of the common EU customs territory since the entering into force of the EU-Turkey Customs Union in 1996. The term developed country, or advanced country, is used to categorize countries with developed Economies in which the tertiary and quaternary sectors near as long as it used to be several months ago It has been actively summarized and split into sub-articles and there is a dynamic talk page discussion of all Turkey 's Economy is a complex mix of traditional Craftsmanship and modern industries, increasingly dominated by the latter The Council of Europe (Conseil de l'Europe is the oldest International organisation working towards European integration, being founded in 1949 A customs union is a Free trade area with a Common external tariff. On 31 December 1995 the customs union between Turkey and the European Union came into effect Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Turkey is a founding member of the OECD since 1961, a founding member of the OSCE since 1973 and an associate member of the Western European Union since 1992. The Western European Union ( WEU) is a partially dormant European defence and security organization established on the basis of the Treaty of Brussels of 1948 Turkey is also a founding member of the G20 industrial nations (1999) which has close ties with the European Union. The G20 ( Group of 20) is a group consisting of 19 of the world's largest economies together with the European Union.

Proponents of Turkey's membership argue that it is a key regional power^[10] with a large economy and the second largest military force of NATO^[11][12] that will enhance the EU's position as a global geostrategic player; given Turkey's geographic location and economic, political, cultural and historic ties in regions with large natural resources that are at the immediate vicinity of the EU's geopolitical sphere of influence; such as the East Mediterranean and Black Sea coasts, the Middle East, the Caspian Sea basin and Central Asia. In International relations, a regional power is a State that has power within a geographic Region. Turkey 's Economy is a complex mix of traditional Craftsmanship and modern industries, increasingly dominated by the latter The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF (Türk Silahlı Kuvvetleri or TSK consist of the Army, the Navy (including naval aviation and naval infantry and the Air Force The Black Sea is an inland Sea bounded by southeastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Anatolian peninsula ( Turkey The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged Sea. Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south ^[13][14]

According to Carl Bildt, Swedish foreign minister, "[The accession of Turkey] would give the EU a decisive role for stability in the eastern part of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, which is clearly in the strategic interest of Europe. KCMG (born 15 July 1949) is a Swedish Politician and Diplomat. The Minister for Foreign Affairs (utrikesminister is the Foreign minister of Sweden and the head of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. "^[15] One of Turkey's key supporters for its bid to join the EU is the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In May 2008, Queen Elizabeth II said during a visit to Turkey, that "Turkey is uniquely positioned as a bridge between the East and West at a crucial time for the European Union and the world in general. International holidays May 1 - Labour Day ( Pakistan) May 1 - Labour Day ( Singapore) For the ship see RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Context States headed by Elizabeth II "^[16]

Proponents also argue that Turkey abides by most conditions for accession. Some maintain that the EU can no longer refuse Turkey, as it has had an open candidacy for over 40 years, and has made major improvements in human rights in order to try to satisfy the entry conditions. Human rights in Turkey are protected by a variety of International law treaties which takes precedence over domestic legislation, according to the 1982 Constitution

There are, however, numerous arguments against Turkey's accession. Opponents argue that Turkey does not respect the key principles that are expected in a liberal democracy, such as the freedom of expression, with potentially repressive laws like Article 301 (which was reformed on April 30, 2008);^[17] and because of the significant role of the army on the Turkish administrative foreground through the National Security Council; whose military-dominated structure was reformed on July 23, 2003, in line with the requests from the EU. The term "liberal" in "liberal democracy" does not imply that the government of such a democracy must follow the political ideology of Freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without Censorship or Limitation. Per article 118 of the Turkish Constitution, the National Security Council ( Turkish: Milli Güvenlik Kurulu (MGK is set up as an advisory organ composed ^[18] Turkey's large population would also alter the balance of power in the representative European institutions. Upon joining the EU, Turkey's 70 million inhabitants would bestow it the second largest number of MEPs in the European Parliament. A Member of the European Parliament ( English abbreviation MEP) is a member of the European Union 's legislative body the European Parliament. The European Parliament ( Europarl or EP) is the only directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU ^[12] Demographic projections indicate that Turkey would surpass Germany in the number of seats by 2020. ^[12] Some oppose the accession of a large Muslim country. Turkey's membership would also affect future enlargement plans, especially the number of nations seeking EU membership,^[12] grounds by which Valéry Giscard d'Estaing has opposed Turkey's admission. Valéry Marie René Georges Giscard d'Estaing (born 2 February 1926 is a French centre - right politician who was President of the French d'Estaing has suggested that it would lead to demands for accession by Morocco. Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa Morocco's application is already rejected on geographic grounds, and Turkey, unlike Morocco, has territory in Europe. For Turkey in the European Union see Accession of Turkey to the European Union European Turkey or Turkey in Europe was the term used French President Nicholas Sarkozy (then a candidate) has stated in January 2007 that "enlarging Europe with no limit risks destroying European political union, and that I do not accept. The President of the French Republic (Président de la République française colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is France 's elected Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced, . . I want to say that Europe must give itself borders, that not all countries have a vocation to become members of Europe, beginning with Turkey which has no place inside the European Union. "^[19] Only a small fraction of Turkish territory lies in the common geographical definition of Europe, but this is where the country's largest city and its economic and cultural capital, Istanbul, is located. Istanbul (historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see the other Names of Istanbul) is the largest city of Turkey EU member Cyprus is actually located to the south of Anatolia and is geographically a part of Anatolia's continental shelf. Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black

Another concern is that Turkey continues to occupy the northern third of the island of Cyprus, which became an EU member in 2004, with 40,000 Turkish troops stationed there since 1974. Turkey's original intention, which was declared by the Prime Minister of that period, Bülent Ecevit, was to avoid the island's annexation to Greece and to bring an end to the Cypriot intercommunal violence which took place between 1963 and 1974. Mustafa Bülent Ecevit ( May 28, 1925 in Istanbul – November 5, 2006 in Ankara) was a Turkish Politician For the Genus of Grass skipper Butterflies, see Enosis (butterfly. Cypriot intercommunal violence refers to periods of inter-ethnic conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots on the island of Cyprus from ^[20] Since 1974, Turkey refuses to recognise the Republic of Cyprus as the sole authority on the island, until a solution for the Cyprus dispute is found under the auspices of the United Nations. Cyprus (Κύπρος transliterated: Kýpros,; Kıbrıs officially the Republic of Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία Kypriakī́ Dīmokratía The Cyprus dispute is a territorial conflict between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and also Republic of Cyprus and Turkey over Cyprus, an Historically though, the UN Security Council, in its Resolution 541 of 18 November 1983, has declared the occupation of northern Cyprus legally invalid and called for the withdrawal of Turkish forces. ^[21] The UN-backed Annan Plan for the re-unification of Cyprus was actively supported by the EU and Turkey. The Annan Plan was a United Nations proposal to settle the Cyprus dispute of the divided island nation of Cyprus as the United Cyprus Republic However, the Annan Plan was accepted by the Turkish Cypriots at north, but was rejected by the Greek Cypriots at south, in separate referenda which took place in April 2004. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus ( TRNC) (Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti KKTC) commonly called Northern Cyprus (Kuzey Kıbrıs though its

EU member states must unanimously agree on Turkey's membership for the Turkish accession to be successful. A number of nations can oppose it, notably Austria, which historically served as a bulwark for Christian Europe against the Ottoman Empire; and France, which is fearful of the prospect of another wave of Muslim immigrants, especially given the poor integration of its existing Muslim minority. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.

Potential candidate countries

The EU's relations with the Western Balkans states (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia) were moved from the "External Relations" to the "Enlargement" policy segment. This article is about the country in southern Europe For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Albania topics. Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE! Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country These states currently are not recognised as candidate countries, but only as "potential candidate countries". ^[22] This is a consequence of the advancement of the Stabilisation and Association process. In talks with countries who have expressed the wish to join the European Union (EU the EU typically concludes Association Agreements in exchange for commitments to political

The successor states of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia), as well as Kosovo, have all adopted EU integration as an aim of foreign policy. The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ( Serbo-Croatian, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, Macedonian: Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan Croatia (Hrvatska ˈxȓvatska officially the Republic of Croatia ( Republika Hrvatska) is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between The Republic of Macedonia (Република Montenegro ( British English) Montenegrin / Serbian: PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE THE LANGUAGES WITHOUT CONSENSUS ON THE TALK PAGE! Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country Slovenia, officially the Republic of Slovenia (Republika Slovenija) is a Country in southern Central Europe bordering Italy to the west Slovenia joined the EU on 1 May 2004. Events 305 - Diocletian and Maximian retire from the office of Roman Emperor. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Croatia is currently negotiating its entry. The Republic of Macedonia is recognised as an EU candidate country.

Albania in the Western Balkans was for a long period under one of the harshest communist governments in the world, which imposed on the people of Albania an international isolation similar to that of North Korea. North Korea is the commonly used short form name for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (or DPRK) a State located in East Asia, The post communist Albanian governments have adopted EU integration as the strategic orientation of the country.

The EU signed an agreement with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and the Republic of Macedonia on 13 April 2007, and Serbia on 15 May 2007, which included visa facilitations for the citizens of these countries. The Republic of Macedonia (Република The signing EU Commissioner Franco Frattini was quoted saying that this is the first step toward a full abolishment of the visa requirements and the free movement of the Western Balkans citizens in EU. Commissioner is a designation that may be used for a variety of official positions especially referring to a high-ranked public (administrative or Police) official or an analogous Franco Frattini (born 14 March 1957 in Rome) is an Italian politician currently serving as Italy's Foreign Minister in the Negotiations for a visa-free travel regime with the aforementioned countries are expected to start in January 2008. ^[23]

The 2003 European Council summit in Thessaloniki set integration of the Western Balkans as a priority of EU expansion. Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη), Thessalonica, or Salonica is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Macedonia A further meeting in Mamaia, Romania, concluded that "Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro are considered likely to join the EU between 2010 and 2015" depending on their fulfillment of the adhesion criteria. Mamaia is the biggest resort on the Romanian Black Sea shore It is situated immediately north-east of Constanţa, Romania This summit was attended by two EU members, seven countries now in the EU, and the eight EU hopefuls (Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, and Ukraine). Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova ( Republica Moldova) is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania According to the European parliament the EU is seeking an increasingly close relationship with Ukraine going beyond cooperation to gradual economic integration and deepening of political cooperation However, this summit was not linked to any EU institution, whatsoever, and the target dates and agreements presented there mainly aimed at encouraging the candidate and potential candidate countries on their way to eventual full membership into the EU.

On 9 November 2005, the European Commission suggested in a new strategy paper that the current enlargement agenda (Croatia, Turkey and the Western Balkans) could potentially block the possibility of a future accession of Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. Events 694 - Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims sentencing all Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive branch of the European Union. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Armenia (Հայաստան transliterated: Hayastan,) officially the Republic of Armenia (Հայաստանի Հանրապետություն Hayastani Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east Georgia ( საქართველო, Sakartvelo) is a Transcontinental country in the Caucasus region situated at the dividing line between Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova ( Republica Moldova) is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. ^[24] Olli Rehn has said on occasion that the EU should "avoid overstretching our capacity, and instead consolidate our enlargement agenda," adding, "this is already a challenging agenda for our accession process. Olli Ilmari Rehn ( (born 31 March 1962) is a Finnish politician currently serving as European Commissioner for Enlargement. "^[25]

Caribbean

Main article: Accession of the Netherlands Antilles to the European Union

On 15 December 2008, The Caribbean islands of Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius will become part of the Netherlands as special municipalities. The Island Territory of Bonaire ( Dutch: Eilandgebied Bonaire, Papiamento: Teritorio Insular di Boneiru) is one of five island areas SABA was a German manufacturer for electronic equipment from the Black Forest up to the 1980s Sint Eustatius, also known as Statia, or Saint Eustace, is one of the islands which make up the Netherlands Antilles; it is in the northern Leeward The Netherlands Antilles ( Dutch:) previously known as the Netherlands West Indies or Dutch Antilles/West Indies, is part of the Lesser Antilles The government of the Netherlands is currently investigating the consequences of a change of status within the European Union for these islands. They are currently listed as overseas countries and territories in Annex II of the Treaty of Rome and as such are not considered part of the EU. As of 2007 the European Union has 27 member states, most of which participate in all EU policy areas and programs or have signed up to do so The islands are opting to become an outermost region of the EU, the same status the Azores, Madeira, the Canary Islands and the French overseas departments have. As of 2007 the European Union has 27 member states, most of which participate in all EU policy areas and programs or have signed up to do so The Azores ( Açores ɐˈsoɾɨʃ or) is a Portuguese Archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, about 1500 km (950  mi) from History See also History of Madeira Pre-Portuguese times Pliny mentions certain Purple Islands the position of which with reference to the The Canary Islands ( English pronunciation kəˈnæriː ˈaɪləndz Spanish: Islas Canarias, ˈizlas kaˈnarjas are a Spanish Overseas department (départements d’outre-mer or DOM) is a designation under the 1946 Constitution of the Fourth Republic that was given to the European commissioner Danuta Hübner has said before the European Parliament that she doesn't expect many problems to occur with such a status change, as the islands' population only consists of some 30,000 people. A European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Danuta Hübner (born April 8 1948 in Nisko, Poland is a Polish economist academic and policy maker currently serving as European Commissioner The European Parliament ( Europarl or EP) is the only directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union (EU As the islands are currently listed in an Annex of the Treaty of Rome, the treaty needs to be changed before the new status can take effect. ^[26]

See also

European Union
This article is part of the series: History of the European Union
Pre-1945
1945–1957 ECSC '50 - '51 - '52 - '53 '54 - '55 - '56 - '57 Treaty of Paris
1958–1972 EEC - Euratom Hallstein Commission '58 - '59 - '60 - '61 - '62 '63 - '64 - '65 - '66 - '67 Rey Commission '67 - '68 - '69 - '70 Malfatti Commission '70 - '71 - '72 Mansholt Commission '72 - '73 Treaty of Rome - SEA
1973–1993 Ortoli Commission '73 - '74 - '75 - '76 - '77 Jenkins Commission '77 - '78 - '79 - '80 - '81 Thorn Commission '81 - '82 - '83 - '84 - '85 Delors Commission '85 - '86 - '87 - '88 '89 - '90 - '91 - '92 - '93 Treaty of Maastricht
1993–1999 European Union Delors Commission '93 - '94 Santer Commission '94 - '95 - '96 '97 - '98 - '99 Treaty of Amsterdam
1999–2004 Prodi Commission '99 - '00 - '01 - '02 '03 - '04 Treaty of Nice
2004–present Barroso Commission '04 - '05 - '06 - '07 '08 - '09
See also
History of Europe Enlargement - Treaties Timeline - Presidency
v • d • e

• Future enlargement of the European Union
• Countries bordering the European Union
• Statistics relating to the EU enlargement
• Treaty of Accession 2003
• Treaty of Accession 2005

References

External links

• Enlargement – Europa
• European Union Member States and applicant countries – European NAvigator