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1957
Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and
the Netherlands sign the Treaty of Rome to establish
the EEC.
1973
Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom join the
EC.
1981
Greece joins the EC.
1986
Portugal and Spain join the EC.
1991
Poland and Hungary sign Europe Agreements.
1993
Copenhagen European Council agrees the accession
criteria. Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Romania
and Slovakia sign Europe Agreements.
1995
Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU. Estonia,
Latvia and Lithuania sign Europe
Agreements.
1996
Slovenia signs Europe Agreement.
1998
Accession negotiations are launched with Cyprus,
Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Estonia and
Slovenia following a decision by the Luxembourg
Council.
1999
Berlin European Council agrees pre-accession funding
and accession-related expenditure within the 2000
- 2006 financial perspective. |
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2000
Accession Negotiations are launched with Bulgaria,
Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Romania and Slovakia following
a decision by the Helsinki Council. Nice
European Council adopts Commission road-map for
negotiations and sets participation in the 2004
European Parliament elections as a target date
for entry for new member states.
2001
Gothenburg and Laeken Councils set clear targets
for finishing the negotiations in 2002.
9
October 2002, Publication of Commission Progress
Reports, recommending that the EU complete accession
negotiations this year with 10 candidates
24/25
October 2002, Brussels Council confirms Commission
recommendation to complete negotiations with 10
candidates by the end of 2002, so they can accede
in early 2004.
12/13
December 2002, Copenhagen Council confirmed that
10 countries will be joining the EU on 1 May 2004.
Also set target date for Bulgaria and Romanian
accession for 2007 and concluded that Turkey will
be able to begin negotiations if it meets the
Copenhagen political criteria in December 2004.
16
April 2003 Accession Treaties signed in Athens.
Accession countries join EU meetings as observers,
pending their full accession on 1 May 2004.
2004
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia
join the EU
December
2004 EU Council concluded negotiations with Romania
and Bulgaria and laid the ground work for membership
negotiations with Croatia and Turkey
April
2005 Bulgaria and Romania due to sign an Accession
Treaty that will see them become members on 1
January 2007
17
March should see Croatia begin membership negotiations
if it complies with the ICTY (this date has now
been put back) |
