The Irish Experience

Ireland joined what is now the European Union back in 1973.

Back then the EEC, as it was then, was primarily an economic free trade area known as the Common Market, but further integration was planned to bring more benefits to member states.

Irish political leaders fought a long, hard campaign for more than a decade to persuade Europe that Ireland - with its underdeveloped, largely agricultural based economy – was fit to be a part of the ambitious European project.

The Irish public backed the political campaign in a referendum on joining the EEC in May 1972 when 83 per cent of voters voiced their support for the move.

History has proven that Ireland was not only fit to join but was strong enough to move forward as a nation and play a vital role in the both the development and promotion of the European Union and its values.

Joining enabled Ireland to end its trade dependence on UK markets and Irish citizens and businesses were given an automatic right to trade, move, work and reside freely in other member states.

Despite our current economic difficulties, living standards in modern Ireland bear little resemblance to those endured before we signed the accession treaty, and a lot of the improvements are a direct consequence of EU membership.

The positive Irish experience of membership has also been an encouragement for other European countries to become part of the EU and in May 2004 Ireland fittingly played host for the celebrations to mark the EU’s biggest enlargement process to date on the Day of Welcomes.

That year Ireland held the post of EU Presidency and so presided over the accession of ten new member states, eight of which were former communist Soviet Bloc nations, in what is recognised as one of Europe’s most significant events in modern times.
Ireland had invested much time and expertise in helping them prepare for their place in Europe and many of the new member states were inspired by the Irish EU success story which shows how a small nation can use its influence in a positive way to promote the interests of all European citizens. 

Candidate Countries

Every year the European Commission publishes policy documents and progress reports on the possible admission on new member states to the EU.

There are currently nine countries that are either official or potential candidates and are in line to become the next member states of the European Union, if they can successfully progress through all stages of the accession process.

Seven of the countries – Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYR Macedonia and Kosovo - are in the western Balkans region which was left devastated by political turmoil and eventually war following the break-up of Yugoslavia in the early ‘90s.

Turkey and Iceland are the other two countries on the list of possible member states.

Of the nine nations, the following five are official candidate countries.

Croatia:

Croatia applied for membership in 2003 and was confirmed as a candidate country the following year.

On 30 June 2011 EU Member States decided to close accession negotiations with Croatia. Following the ratification procedure in all Member States and Croatia, accession is foreseen for 1 July 2013..

Iceland

Iceland has long being a close partner of the European Union and in July 2009 formally applied for membership. The European Commission says the country already meets the political criteria and despite its huge banking crisis, the island nation has an acceptable functioning market economy.

Iceland’s participation in the European Economic Area and in the Schengen agreement means that much of its legislation is already compatible with EU law but the Commission is looking for changes in key areas including fisheries, agriculture, rural development and the environment.

Turkey

Turkey’s relationship with the EU goes back as far as 1959 when it applied for associate membership of the European Economic Community (EEC). An application for full membership was received in 1987 but it was a further 12 years before it became an official candidate country.

Progress has been slow but Turkey remains on track on the road to accession and negotiations are continuing. A main sticking point has been Turkish relations with Cyprus where a long-standing dispute between Turk and Greek Cypriots has divided the island.

FYR Macedonia

The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia first applied for membership in 2004 and was granted candidate status a year later.

A progress report from the Commission in November 2010 stated that FYR Macedonia was ready to start full accession negotiations.

The country is making good progress towards becoming a functioning market economy but the Commission has called for sustained efforts in a number of areas including public procurement, information society, media, social policy and employment.

Montenegro

Montenegro only became an independent nation in 2006 but it has already made significant progress on the road to becoming an official candidate country.

The European Council adopted a European Partnership with the tiny country in January 2007 and before the end of that year a Commission delegation in Podgorica had been established.

In November 2010 the Commission declared that Montenegro was ready to become a candidate country, but further reforms were needed before official accession negotiations could begin.

The following four nations are designated potential candidates.

Albania

Albania applied for EU membership in 2009 and the European Commission has reported good progress in the preliminary steps that need to be taken before official accession negotiations can begin.

The Commission noted in a progress report in 2010 that while a constitutional and legislative framework in line with European standards had been established, Albania's democratic institutions, most notably parliament, still needed to be stabilised and made more effective.

Albania has also been asked to demonstrate more concrete results in its fight against drugs, human trafficking and money laundering.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Like other countries in the region, Bosnia and Herzegovina became a potential candidate country following the EU-Western Balkans Summit at the Thessaloniki European Council of June 2003.

However, in November 2010 the European Commission reported that a lack of shared vision by political leaders on the direction of the country was blocking key reforms and further progress towards becoming a member state.

Serbia

Serbia submitted its application for EU membership in December 2009 and the Commission says it’s a key country for reconciliation and positive regional cooperation in the Western Balkans.

Serbia has made progress in meeting the political criteria for becoming a candidate country but additional efforts are needed in public administration reform and the fight against organised crime and corruption.

Serbia’s relationship with the EU had been strained after Kosovo, a former Serb territory, declared independence in 2008 and was supported by most member states.

However, a joint UN resolution in 2010 tabled by Serbia and co-sponsored by the EU has paved the way for talks between the EU and the two Balkan states.

Kosovo

The European Commission officially recognises Kosovo's European Perspective through a communication adopted in 2009 that proposed the newly independent state’s participation in EU programmes.

In a progress report in November 2010 the Commission urged politicians in Kosovo to continue with vital reforms and engage constructively in regional cooperation.

As a new state, Kosovo faces a long road to membership and the Commission remains concerned over its dysfunctional judiciary and ability to tackle organised crime, drugs and money-laundering.

However, the EU remains strongly committed to helping Kosovo overcome its problems and become a candidate country in the future.