Central and Eastern Europe

The paper deals with the results of the accession negotiations that were officially concluded at the Copenhagen European Council on 12-13 December 2002, and with post-enlargement challenges. It underlines that the EU and the new members have to bear in mind that the formal completion does not mean the end of the preparations for enlargement in mid-2004. The enlarged Union requires a newly balanced foundation on which it can address conflicts and find viable solutions. Proposing such a foundation is the job of the European Convention. In the acceding countries, real economic convergence must be rigorously continued. Turkey has received a positive signal. But the opening of accession negotiations with Turkey must remain conditional upon its fulfilment of the criteria regarding democracy, the rule of law and the economy.