At its Helsinki summit in December 1999, the European Union
embarked on a major new phase of
enlargement. With thirteen countries now officially designated
as candidates for membership, the organisation is set to nearly
double in size over the coming decades. Enlargement will inevitably
usher in numerous internal and structural change in European
governance. The prospect of major expansion requires new and
dynamic thinking about the European Union in the 21st century.
Greece has emerged as a strong supporter of expansion, and a catalyst
behind its scope and direction. The Greek government is in favour of the
diversity of interests that EU enlargement promises to bring to its members. To
that end, Greece is working actively to encourage the enlargement process and
to ensure its successful implementation.
In the mid 1990s, the EU drew up a shortlist of candidate
countries, designated for "fast-track" membership
by the early 2000s, which was adopted at the Luxembourg European
Council in December 1997. These countries ranged from the
Baltic (Estonia) to South Eastern Europe (Slovenia), and included
central European countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary),
as well as Cyprus. At Helsinki, another group of candidates
was added to this list, including Latvia and Lithuania, Slovakia,
Romania, Bulgaria and Malta.
Helsinki was also a milestone for
Cyprus: the island's accession process begun in 1997 was
reaffirmed, independent of a political solution to the island's
division.
In a genuine breakthrough for Greek diplomacy, Turkey
was granted candidate status too. Greece has taken a lead
in promoting Turkey's EU candidacy as part of its broader
rapprochement with its neighbour.
