Looking forward to a Union of 27

Date: 10/04/03

By Lazar Comanescu

THE signing, on 16 April in Athens, of the Treaty of Accession to the European Union of ten countries, eight of them from central and eastern Europe, will mark the most extensive enlargement in the history of the European project. The new members deserve the warmest congratulations for this achievement - one that not many would have dared to predict only a decade ago.

There is no doubt at all that such an achievement is the direct consequence of the observance of the principles on which the current enlargement is based, particularly the comprehensive and inclusive character of the process.

Prepared in Copenhagen in 1993, initiated in Luxembourg in 1997 and further developed in Helsinki in 1999, the events of this month are a milestone in this process.

Nonetheless, it could only be considered as successfully completed when the EU becomes a union of 27 - and that will happen when the other two negotiating countries, Romania and Bulgaria, will have joined the EU, on 1 January 2007.

It is most important that the European Council in Copenhagen not only endorsed the 2007 time target as a common objective, but agreed on the need to intensify the pace of negotiations with the two countries. The conclusion of negotiations with the "ten" and the signing of their accession should, in fact, stimulate this process.

The "One Europe" declaration adopted in Copenhagen is undoubtedly of major political importance in this respect. It is a clear message of the need to continue the accession negotiations on the basis of the same principles and conditions applied to the "ten" and to welcome Romania and Bulgaria as EU members in 2007 - provided, of course, that the internal preparation and individual performance of these two negotiating countries will meet the accession criteria, as they were defined ten years ago.

The benefits of the current enlargement process are huge and they deserve to be enumerated - especially those that clearly demonstrate that the newcomers are really an asset. For example, their participation in and contribution to the work of the European Convention. By involving, to the extent possible, all current and future members when approaching issues of common concern, it is possible to gain the widest approach.

It is, needless to say, very much in the interest of all the members of the European family that the Convention and the subsequent Intergovernmental Conference successfully prepare the European Union for its future dimension and new tasks.

A strong common foreign and security policy and the EU's relations with its immediate environment are priorities in the process of building Europe's future role on the international scene.

The importance of the neighbouring regions is clearly reflected in the "Wider Europe Neighbourhood" initiative, as well as by the inclusion, in the future constitutional treaty, of provisions referring to the special relationship to be forged with neighbouring states. A Union of 27 will be stronger in promoting this strategic goal.

Romania is ideally located to play an important part in the establishment of this "area of prosperity and good neighbourliness, characterized by close and peaceful relations based on cooperation". It will certainly bring its contribution to further develop and strengthen the enlarged Europe's capacity to better cope with asymmetric threats, such as trafficking in drugs and human beings, arms smuggling, money laundering.

In this way Romania will bring its contribution to the consolidation of the area of freedom, security and justice currently being shaped within the EU.

Our initiatives and active involvement in trans-border and regional cooperation, our consistent policy of promoting good relations with our neighbours, our traditional links with the countries of southeast Europe and with those on the EU's future eastern border will represent significant assets for the EU. We look forward to a union of 27.

• Lazar Comanescu is the Romanian ambassador to the EU.

Author, who is the Romanian ambassador to the EU, says enlargement will only be complete when Romania and Bulgaria join the European Union in 2007.