Definition of Applicant countries

Applicant countries
Europe's economic and political stability is a magnet for many European countries, which have the right to apply to become members of the European Union (Article 49).

The countries that have applied are:

•Turkey: application received on 14 April 1987;
•Cyprus: 3 July 1990;
•Malta: 16 July 1990;
•Hungary: 31 March 1994;
•Poland: 5 April 1994;
•Romania: 22 June 1995;
•Slovakia: 27 June 1995;
•Latvia: 13 October 1995;
•Estonia: 24 November 1995;
•Lithuania: 8 December 1995;
•Bulgaria: 14 December 1995;
•Czech Republic: 17 January 1996;
•Slovenia: 10 June 1996.

At the Copenhagen European Council (12 and 13 December 2002), the Commission concluded negotiations with 10 applicant countries - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia - thus enabling them to join the Union on 1 May 2004. As far as Bulgaria and Romania are concerned, the goal is to enable them to join by 2007. It may be possible to open negotiations with Turkey in December 2004 if it has fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria.

For the record, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Norway have also all applied for membership of the European Union at various times. However, Norway twice rejected accession following referenda in 1972 and 1994, while the applications by Switzerland and Liechtenstein were shelved after Switzerland decided by a referendum in 1992 not to join the European Economic Area.

See:

•Accession criteria (Copenhagen criteria)
•Accession negotiations
•Accession partnership
•Community acquis
•Enlargement
•European Conference
•Incorporation of the Community acquis
•Pre-accession aid
•Pre-accession strategy
•Programme of Community aid to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (Phare)
•Screening
•TAIEX (Technical Assistance Information Exchange Office)