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Date: 07/06/01
Estonia
- Population: 1.4 million
- Surface area: 45,227 km2
- Chapters closed: 19
- Per capita income as % of EU average: 36
- The leading Baltic applicant
Poland
- Population: 38.7 million
- Surface area: 312,685 km2
- Chapters closed: 16
- Per capita income as % of EU average: 37
- Seen as the back marker in the first group but German support will propel it through with the rest
Czech Republic
- Population: 10.3 million
- Surface area: 78,866 km2
- Chapters closed: 18
- Per capita income as % of EU average: 59
- Widely viewed as starting to slip from the first wave group
Slovenia
- Population: 2 million
- Surface area: 20,273 km2
- Chapters closed: 20
- Per capita income as % of EU average: 71
- Considered a shoo-in for the first wave
Hungary
- Population: 10.1 million
- Surface area: 93,030 km2
- Chapters closed: 19
- Per capita income as % of EU average: 51
- Good performer but demands for early enlargement seen as too pushy
Malta
- Population: 0.4 million
- Surface area: 316 km2
- Chapters closed: 16
- Per capita income as % of EU average: N/A
- Question marks remain over broad political support for EU membership
Cyprus
- Population: 0.8 million
- Surface area: 9,251 km2
- Chapters closed: 21
- Per capita income as % of EU average: 81
- Competitive market economy sure to be in first wave
Turkey
- Population: 64.3 million (population projection)
- Surface area: 769,604 km2 (excluding lakes)
- Chapters closed: 0
- Per capita income as % of EU average: 28
- Hopes of starting entry negotiations depend on pace of domestic reform
Bulgaria
- Population: 8.2 million
- Surface area: 110,971 km2
- Chapters closed: 9
- Per capita income as % of EU average: 22
- No chance of being in first wave but better of two back markers
Romania
- Population: 22.5 million
- Surface area: 238,390 km2
- Chapters closed: 6
- Per capita income as % of EU average: 27
- Runt of the litter
Slovakia
- Population: 5.4 million
- Surface area: 49,035 km2
- Chapters closed: 16
- Per capita income as % of EU average: 49
- Problems with EU funds but good chance of joining Union with Czech neighbours
Lithuania
- Population: 3.7 million
- Surface area: 65,300 km2
- Chapters closed: 15
- Per capita income as % of EU average: 29
- Slow start but now making progress
Latvia
- Population: 2.4 million
- Surface area: 64,589 km2
- Chapters closed: 13
- Per capita income as % of EU average: 27
- Starting to catch up after rocky beginning
As its Union presidency term comes to a close, Sweden is trumpeting its success in moving the enlargement process forward.
Last week Stockholm announced it had brokered agreements that would close negotiations on free movement of capital with the Czech Republic and on environment with the Czech Republic, Estonia and Hungary. "This is a significant and very welcome progress," said Gunnar Lund, Sweden's ambassador to the EU.
Currently the divided island nation of Cyprus leads the race among countries hoping to join the Union, having closed 21 of the 30 chapters. Slovenia has completed talks on 20, followed by Estonia and Hungary with 19 apiece. The largest of the applicant countries, Poland, has closed just 16 chapters as of the start of June.
The toughest areas have yet to be tackled, however. For most applicant countries, talks have not even begun on agriculture, regional policy, competition, free movement of persons and taxation.
Article forms part of a survey on enlargement.
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