European Union Enlargement - An historic opportunity

Pre-accession strategy
At the end of 1994, the Essen European Council defined a pre-accession strategy to prepare
the countries of Central and Eastern Europe for EU membership. This strategy was
based on three main elements: implementation of the Europe Agreements, the Phare
Programme of financial assistance, and a ‘structured dialogue’ bringing all Member
States and candidate countries together to discuss issues of common interest.
Following the proposals of the European Commission in Agenda 2000, the Luxembourg
European Council, at the end of 1997, decided on an enhanced pre-accession strategy
for the ten candidate countries of Central and Eastern Europe, with a specific strategy
for Cyprus (including participation in Community programmes, participation in certain
targeted projects and use of TAIEX assistance). Following Malta's reactivation of its
application for membership in October 1998, a specific pre-accession strategy was
developed also for Malta. Furthermore, in December 1999, on the basis of a recommendation
by the Commission, the Helsinki European Council decided to prepare a preaccession
strategy for Turkey.
More recently, in December 2002, the Copenhagen European Council endorsed the
roadmaps put forward by the Commission for Bulgaria and Romania. The roadmaps provide
Bulgaria and Romania with clearly identified objectives and give each country the
possibility of setting the pace of its accession process. The Copenhagen European
Council confirmed that further guidance in these countries' pre-accession work would
be provided by revised Accession Partnerships to be presented in 2003. In addition, the
European Council at Copenhagen decided to strengthen the accession strategy for
Turkey and invited the Commission to submit a revised Accession Partnership for
Turkey. In parallel, the Union committed itself to a significant increase in pre-accession
financial assistance for all three countries. From 2004, the assistance for Turkey will be
financed under the Union's budget for "pre-accession expenditure".