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- European Commission
- Enlargement
- How does it work?
- The policy
- How does it work?
- Who does what?
- Projects in focus
- Turkish Cypriot community
- Press corner
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- Candidate countries
- Potential candidates
How does it work?
Any country that satisfies the conditions for enlargement can submit an application. A country that wishes to join the EU submits an application for membership to the Council, which asks the Commission to assess the applicant’s ability to meet the conditions of membership. If the Commission delivers a positive opinion, and the Council unanimously agrees a negotiating mandate, negotiations are formally opened between the candidate and all the member states.
Pre-accession strategy
The pre-accession strategy is designed to prepare the candidate countries for future membership. It encompasses the following frameworks and mechanisms:
- Europe Agreements/Association Agreements/Stabilisation and Association Agreements
- Accession Partnerships/European Partnerships
- Pre-accession assistance
- Co-financing from International Financing Institutions
- Participation in EU Programmes, Agencies and Committees
- National Programme for the adoption of the acquis
- Progress Reports
- Political Dialogue
Last update: 30/01/2012 | Top