Green light for big bang

In their conclusion at the close of the European Council meeting in Laeken in December 2001, European Union leaders said that the European Union was 'determined to bring the accession negotiations with the candidate countries that are ready to a successful conclusion by the end of 2002 so that those countries can take part in the European Parliament elections in 2004 as members'. Ten countries could be ready to join by 2004, in a 'big bang' enlargement.