2. Uniting a continent
Date Members №
25 March Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the
6
1957 Netherlands, West Germany
1 January
Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom 9
1973
1 January
Greece 10
1981
1 January
Spain, Portugal 12
1986
1 January
Austria, Finland, Sweden 15
1995
Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia,
1 May 2004 Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, 25
Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia
1 January
Bulgaria, Romania 27
2007
4. “Candidate countries”
Official candidate
2. Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia (FYROM)
3. Croatia
4. Iceland
5. Montenegro
6. Turkey
Potential candidates
• Albania
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Serbia
• Kosovo
6. Official economic requirements
4. Convective
currency
1. National
budget deficit
<3% of GDP
3. Inflation
rate <1,5%
2. External debt
<60% of GDP
7. The accession process
1. Entry negotiations
between member-state and
European Commission
2. The Council of EU votes
(the decision should be taken
unanimously)
3. The European Parliament
gives its assent though a
positive vote (absolute
majority)
4. Ratification of accession
treaty by member countries
and candidate states
8. General principles
Stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule
of law, human rights and respect for and protection
of minorities
A functioning market economy and the capacity to
cope with the competitive pressure and market
forces within the union
The ability to take on the obligations of membership,
including support for the aims of the union.
Public administration capable of applying and
managing EU laws in practice
9. Neighbourhood policy
Stabilisation Trade and
and association cooperation
agreements agreements
So that potential Relations with non-
candidates could candidate states and
meet the non-european
requirements and countries (e.g. with
enter the Union Russian Federation)
