| Author (Person) | Davies, Eric | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Publisher | ProQuest Information and Learning | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series Title | In Focus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publication Date | May 2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content Type | Topic Guide | In Focus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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On 1 May 2004 the European Union welcomed 10 new Member States. In a Declaration marking the event, the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU stated: Today is a Day of Welcomes. (extract from Declaration for A Day of Welcomes - 1 May 2004). Despite the official words of welcome and the many formal and informal celebrations which took place throughout the new Europe, the advent of the Union's long-awaited and most significant enlargement was greeted less warmly than it might have been in some quarters. With a number of contentious items on the agenda, both 'old' and 'new' Member States have concerns about the future and tensions are already apparent. Background Enlargement negotiations were formally concluded at the December 2002 European Council in Copenhagen, when the 10 Acceding States were formally told they could join the EU. The Accession Treaty was signed in Athens on 16 April 2003, at an informal meeting of the European Council convened by the Greek Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Athens Declaration declared: 'We the representatives of the citizens and States of the European Union meet today on this symbolic site, under the Acropolis, to celebrate an historic event: The signing of the Accession Treaty for Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia. Our achievement is unique. This Union represents our common determination to put an end to centuries of conflict and to transcend former divisions on our continent. This Union represents our will to embark on a new future based on cooperation, respect for diversity and mutual understanding.' (see European Sources Online: In Focus: There is no denying the political achievement which the Union's latest expansion represents. As the Financial Times expressed it: 'Eight of these new members are former communist states, and bringing them into the EU fold is a historic achievement that at last staples together the two halves of Europe separated during the cold war.' (see: The historic significance of 1 May does, however, appear to have been lost to many EU leaders and their peoples. The FT was one of a number of media sources to criticise the 'cavilling' of the former: 'Last year President Jacques Chirac slapped accession states down for daring to disagree with French policy on Iraq, and now Chancellor Gerhard Schröder threatens financial retaliation on new EU states that use low tax rates to undercut German industry. In Britain, Tony Blair, a supposed champion of enlargement, removes the UK social benefit safety net from new EU state nationals.' (see: European Sources Online: The Economist noted the same 'churlishness' amongst EU leaders, who 'have done little to persuade their electorates of the case for enlarging the EU, so public opinion is mostly hostile.' It also commented on negative attitudes towards the new Member States: 'Scare stories about millions of work-seeking migrants (or, contradictorily, work-shy benefit-scroungers) have led most governments to throw up barriers to the free flow of these new EU citizens for at least two years. The Union's paymasters want to hold down budget transfers to the new members, sternly telling them not to expect the generosity shown in the past to Spain or Ireland. And plenty of politicians have attacked supposedly “unfair” competition from the new countries, for example their dastardly habit of paying lower wages or collecting fewer taxes.' (see: The introduction of 'transitional measures' to prevent free movement is one of the latest and most notable issues associated with enlargement. According to European Voice the use of transitional measures 'particularly sticks in the throats of the newcomers - not just because it violates fundamental principles of the EU, but because it is widely seen as discriminatory, unnecessary and more the result of tabloid scare-stories than based on empirical evidence.' (see: At the same time as the EU15 have been trying to protect themselves from migrant workers, enlargement has been presented as an opportunity for their companies to benefit. Noting that the new members have infrastructure which needs improving and consumers who are increasing their purchasing power, the Financial Times said that 'the more developed countries of the EU, which can export goods, services and capital, are being handed a golden opportunity' (see: This is only to be expected, as the EU15 and EU10 countries are looking for different things from enlargement. Speaking in mid-May, Internal Market Commissioner Fritz Bolkestein said: 'The “old” Member States must boost their flagging economies so that they can maintain existing living standards and continue to pay for their social security, pensions, healthcare and education. ... The “new” Member States, on the other hand, want to maintain the phenomenal growth rates which they have registered in recent years so that they can rapidly improve their living standards and “catch up” with the European average.' (see: Making the most of the Internal Market after Enlargement). Enlargement's greatest impact is on the way in which the Union works. Just prior to accession, European Voice reported that 'Many observers believe that EU's decision-making will slow down radically, if not grind to a complete halt, from 1 May as the Union struggles to digest the ten new member states' ( 'The institutions ... are ill-prepared for an influx of so many countries, people and, not least, languages' noted The Economist (see: One of the most significant changes is the growing tendency for serious debate amongst all EU leaders to be replaced by discussions amongst small groups of Member States. In the words of the Financial Times: 'When the EU had six members, national leaders could hammer out policy over dinner. At the last Brussels summit in March, attended by leaders of the new member states, they could hardly see from one end of the table to the other' (see: This move towards forming shifting alliances is one aspect of the new Europe which makes it less likely that any 'superstate' will be formed. In the view of the Financial Times, although 'It is likely to be years, not months, before it becomes clear quite what sort of organisation will emerge from the latest upheaval. ... What is clear, however, is what it will not be. With 25 members now involved in negotiating the rules and policies of the EU, with different priorities, histories and standards of living, it is obvious that the union can never become the European superstate of Eurosceptic mythology' (see: Nevertheless, there is a clear need to ensure that the union functions as effectively as possible with 25 (soon to be nearer 30) members. The draft Constitutional Treaty was intended to improve decision-making. The Treaty might yet be adopted at the European Council on 17-18 June, although substantial areas of disagreement still exist. Agreement might also rest on the attitude of the new Member States. As The Economist put it, 'few are fans of the new EU constitution' (see: One issue they are sure to have strong feelings on is the Union's budget. At the end of April, the Commission agreed proposals for the 2005 budget - just weeks after adopting the budget outline for 2007-2013 (see European Sources Online: In Focus: A further difficult issue looms in the form of Turkey's bid to join the Union. The European Commission will decide in October whether Turkey meets the political elements of the 'Copenhagen Criteria', which applicant countries must comply with in order to join the Union. If the Commission decides that the Criteria have been met, then the European Council is expected to open accession negotiations. The fact that Turkey has a large Moslem population makes any decision - in favour of accession or against it - highly contentious. On 1 May the Financial Times commented that the EU 'enters a new era at a time of introspection and uncertainty, economically weak and struggling to impose itself on world events' (see: The view from the US also seems to be mixed, with some commentators suggesting enlargement is 'a positive development for the world's lone superpower' as the 10 are seen as more pro-American than some of the other Member States (see BBC News Online: EU enlargement: Good for US?). The Union's new neighbours must also have mixed feelings over enlargement. The BBC reported that 'In Belarus, Ukraine and Russia there is a mixture of unease about the impact of the expanded EU and disappointment at missing out on the benefits of membership' (see: Little cheer on EU's eastern border). Commission President Romano Prodi has said that enlargement will probably be over once Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and the Western Balkans - including Croatia and Serbia - have joined (see Financial Times: Further information within European Sources Online European Sources Online: Topic Guides
European Sources Online: In Focus
European Sources Online: Financial Times
European Sources Online: European Voice
European Sources Online: The Economist
Further information can be seen in these external links: EU Institutions European Commission DG Enlargement
DG Press and Communication
Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU
Media organisations BBC News Online
Eric Davies |
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| Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
