Press Release: Commission adopts favourable opinion on the accession of ten candidate countries

The European Commission adopted on 19 February 2003 a favourable Opinion on the accession to the Union of ten applicant countries: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. Taken in accordance with Article 49 of the Treaty, the decision follows the successful conclusion of the accession negotiations at the European Council meeting in Copenhagen on 13 December 2002 and the finalisation of the Treaty of Accession in the first half of February 2003.