ACTIVITIES :: International Relations :: Dialogue Coop :: Enlargement

Candidate and potential candidate countries/neighbourhood policy countries

The EU Enlargement process involves that all candidate and potential candidate countries adopt the EU information society and electronic communications “acquis” fully in view of future EU accession. This means that all new member states will have subscribed to a competitive market approach for all communications services to be overseen by a fully independent regulatory authority.
Relations with our Eastern and Southern neighbours are receiving more and more attention. Read the Communication from the Commission on the Wider Europe Neighbourhood . The European Neighbourhood Policy Communication proposes that a number of measures be implemented from 2004 to 2010, notably approximating legislation and regulations to those of the EU Internal Market and adopting new instruments for investment protection and promotion.

EU Enlargement

After successfully growing from 6 to 27 members, the European Union is now preparing for the next enlargement. The Western Balkan region comprises of 6 internationally recognized countries: Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Serbia (including Kosovo), Montenegro, and Bosnia & Herzegovina. Together with Turkey, all of these countries are either candidate countries (Croatia, Turkey, and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) or potential candidates for EU membership. Within the formal dialogue conducted between the EU and these countries the aim is to prepare them for the information society and electronic communications "acquis" in view of their future EU accession.

With all countries, the EU has already treaty relations of the kind that are precursor to membership (Stabilisation and Association Agreement) with the exception of Kosovo. Furthermore, the Commission has recommended (February 2010) that negotiations for accession to the EU should be opened with Iceland.

'Supply of services in monitoring regulatory and market developments for electronic communications and information society services in Enlargement Countries (30 September 2008)

Following an open call for tender, a new contract has been awarded to Cullen International for the period 2008-2010. The project covers South-East European countries that are potential members of the EU, either in the short or medium term: Croatia, Turkey, the fYRoM, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244), Bosnia&Herzegovina, Albania, and now includes information society services in addition to electronic communications.
The primary objective of the project is to assist the European Commission and the national authorities in monitoring the progress made towards compliance with the EU rules for electronic communications and information society services, together with their convergence with the EU internal market. This is the second of four reports, one every nine months in the period from 2008 to 2010.'

Enlargement Countries Monitoring Report 3 (Mars 2010)

Enlargement Countries Monitoring Report 3 - Annex (Mars 2010)

Last update: 06/04/2010