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What started out as an organisation to regulate the coal and steel industries in Europe, and a way to prevent another war between France and Germany, turned out to be the biggest European project, achieving to shelter under one umbrella 28 nations at one point, while several others wait to join.
The European Union has one flag, 24 official languages, its main currency is the euro, and with a territory of 4,233,255.3 km2, it is home to 447 million EU citizens.
Currently, it counts 27 Member States – Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
Being an EU member means your citizens have the right to live, study and work in any other EU country. This means that they can travel freely throughout the whole bloc without the need for a visa or a passport. Similarly, the single market enables most goods, services, and money to move freely throughout most of the continent.
Countries that are part of the EU address cross-border issues jointly since there are joint regulations on a wide list of fields, including here economy, environment, migration, and more.
The benefits of EU membership are many, and for that reason, several other countries in the continent of Europe for years now have been trying to join the bloc. The last country to become part of the EU was Croatia in 2013.
Currently, Albania, the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey have the status of candidate countries. Whereas, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina are potential candidate countries.
Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova, on the other hand, are classified under the “Eastern Partnership”, through which the bloc intends to help these three countries to gradually adopt democratic and legal reforms that would bring them closer to the EU.
For some of these countries, the procedures to become EU members have started as early as 2005. However, becoming an EU country is a difficult process that comes with a long list of criteria that shall be met and procedures that must be completed.
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In order for a country to become part of the EU, the same must meet all the membership criteria, otherwise also known as ‘Copenhagen Criteria’. The main criteria are the free-market economy, a stable democracy and the rule of law, and the acceptance of all EU legislation, including the euro.
“Becoming a member of the EU is a complex procedure which does not happen overnight. Once an applicant country meets the conditions for membership, it must implement EU rules and regulations in all areas,” the EU notes regarding the procedures to join the bloc on its official website.
Thus, before a country starts the procedures to become an EU member, the same must be a country with stable institutions guaranteeing democracy and the rule of law, where human rights and respect for and protection of minorities are guaranteed.
The country must have a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU, as well as capable of effectively implementing the obligations of the membership.
Through the negotiations for membership, the EU and the candidate country also discuss different policies such as transport, energy, and environment. The other two main criteria are for the candidate country to be able to pay to the EU the sum on which both parties agree during the negotiations, as well as meeting the arrangements on the gradual phasing of certain rules, in order for the same to be able to adapt to the membership rules and benefits.
The regular procedure for EU membership consists of three stages. The first stage is when a country is granted the status of an official candidate for membership.
The second stage is when membership negotiations between the EU and the candidate country start, which is a process that includes the adoption of EU law into national law, and the preparation for the implementation of this law in judicial, administrative, economic areas, as well as other reforms.
The third stage is when the candidate country has met all accession criteria and is ready to become part of the EU.
Stage two of the EU membership process cannot start, unless all EU governments unanimously agree to do so.
“Negotiations take place between ministers and ambassadors of the EU governments and the candidate country in what is called an intergovernmental conference,” the EU explains.
The first two things that take place during this period are the screening and the negotiation positions. The screening is a detailed examination of the EU Commission in order to determine how well the candidate country is prepared to become an EU member.
The results of the examination are then presented to the member states in the form of a report, which also concludes whether the negotiations with the candidate country should be open or list more benchmarks that the country must meet first.
As per the negotiating positions, the candidate country must submit its position, and the EU must adopt a common position. For most chapters, the EU will set benchmarks that need to be met.
“The pace of the negotiations then depends on the speed of reform and alignment with EU laws in each country. The duration of negotiations can vary – starting at the same time as another country is no guarantee of finishing at the same time,” the EU explains.
In order for every chapter to be closed, the government of every EU member state must agree that a candidate has marked progress in that particular field. This means that the process can be concluded only after the governments have agreed to close every chapter.
Once that happens, with the support of the EU Council, Commission and the European Parliament, the accession treaty is signed and then ratified by the candidate country and the representatives of the existing EU countries.
“This is the document that cements the country’s membership of the EU. It contains the detailed terms and conditions of membership, all transitional arrangements and deadlines, as well as details of financial arrangements and any safeguard clauses,” the EU says regarding the accession treaty.
After the treaty is ratified by all, the country becomes an acceding country until the date set by the treaty, on which the same becomes a full EU member country.
The new EU members can then have their representatives in the EU Council, the EU Commission, as well as in the European Parliament. The three are the main decision-making institutions in the EU, which means that becoming part of them, enables the new EU member to become part of the decision-making in the bloc.
When it comes to the countries of the Western Balkan, the procedures to become EU members have been a bit different for them, as the same have to undergo the stabilisation and association process as well. Through the latter, the EU intends to make sure that they are politically stable while promoting regional cooperation and a swift transition to a market economy.
“The process helps the countries concerned to build their capacity to adopt and implement EU law, as well as European and international standards,” the EU says.
Currently, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia are candidate countries, whereas Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina are potential candidate countries.
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