The chief negotiators for the five leading central and eastern European applicants for EU membership and Cyprus this week agreed to present their negotiating positions…

Date: 16/07/1998

...for “selected” chapters of the EU acquis between 1 and 15 September, although in a “very concise form”, and to exchange information on talks. They also “believed it would be hard to meet the 2002 deadline as a year of EU enlargement”, but said they would aim to adjust to Union legislation by that date.