European Union and Enlargement

Abstract

This National Europe Centre publication collates the proceedings from a conference held at the Australian National University in December 2000. The purpose of the conference was to allow the Australian diplomatic missions of nine Central and Eastern European nations seeking entry into the European Union to give their case for admission. Although Malta, Turkey, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic and Romania are at different stages of preparation for the EU, the object is to gauge their progress on the formal entry criteria. The papers address the countries progress toward meeting these criteria, as well as the obstacles they face. The papers begin with a preview from the Commission. It cites the three core requisites for accession into the EU as a market economy, democratic political institutions and the capacity to abide by the EU’s obligations of membership.