On 13 June 1994, the French daily newspaper Le Figaro makes a detailed assessment of the difficulties that must be overcome if the accession of the countries of Eastern Europe to the European Union is to be a success.
On 30 November 1994, in an article for the French daily newspaper Le Monde, Edouard Balladur, French Prime Minister, looks ahead to a future enlargement process of the European Union to include the countries of Eastern Europe and, with a view to this, proposes that the European Union be organised in concentric circles.
In 1995, the German cartoonist, Walter Hanel, illustrates the slow pace of the process of enlargement of the European Union to include the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs), under the mistrustful eye of Boris Yeltsin, President of the Russian Federation.
Am 14. Dezember 1996 gibt der Präsident des Europäischen Parlaments, der Deutsche Klaus Hänsch, nach dem Europäischen Rat von Dublin eine Pressekonferenz, auf der er sich für neue institutionelle Reformen einsetzt, um das Funktionieren der Europäischen Union nach ihrer nächsten Erweiterung zu gewährleisten.
Am 14. Dezember 1996 gibt der Präsident der Europäischen Kommission Jacques Santer nach dem Europäischen Rat von Dublin eine Pressekonferenz, auf der er den Zeitplan für die nächste Erweiterung der Europäischen Union vorstellt und die Notwendigkeit institutioneller Reformen unterstreicht.
On 28 June 1997, following the Amsterdam European Council held on 16 and 17 June, the Portuguese weekly publication Expresso emphasises the difficulties facing the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs) in their journey towards accession to the European Union.
On 7 November 1997, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopts a detailed recommendation relating to the European Union’s enlargement to include the countries of Eastern Europe.
In February 1999, the French monthly newspaper Le Monde Diplomatique analyses the implications and risks, both for the 10 new Member States and for the Fifteen, of the enlargement of the European Union to 25.
On 9 December 1994, the French daily newspaper Le Monde publishes an article by Raymond Barre, former French Prime Minister, and Bronislaw Geremek, Polish historian and politician, in which they propose a strategy for the successful integration of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs) into the European Union.
Der Europäische Rat von Kopenhagen (21. und 22. Juni 1993)
On 18 May 1993, with a view to the meeting of the European Council due to be held in Copenhagen on 21 and 22 June 1993, the European Commission forwards to the Council a document outlining the progress made in the development of a partnership between the Community and Central and Eastern Europe.
On 21 June 1993, at the Copenhagen European Council, Alain Juppé, French Foreign Minister, holds a press conference in which he announces, in particular, the decision taken by the Twelve to work towards the accession of some of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs) to the European Union.
At the European Council meeting held in Copenhagen on 21 and 22 June 1993, the Twelve ask the European Commission to draw up a report on a long-term strategy for developing growth, competitiveness and employment. They confirm that Austria, Finland, Sweden and Norway will accede in 1995 and lay down the economic and political criteria for the accession of the associate countries of Central and Eastern Europe to the European Union.
‘Mummy!’ In 1993, the German cartoonist, Fritz Behrendt, portrays the difficult position of the European Union faced with the numerous applications for accession made by the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs).
On 22 June 1993, to mark the opening of the Copenhagen European Council, the French daily newspaper Le Monde highlights the impatience of the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs), particularly those represented in the Visegrad Group (Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia), at the difficulties and the slow pace of the European Union enlargement process.
On 23 June 1993, commenting on the results achieved at the Copenhagen European Council held on 21 and 22 June 1993, the Spanish daily newspaper El País considers the decisions taken by the Twelve with a view to the future enlargement of the European Communities to include the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs).
On 28 June 1993, in an article published in the Spanish daily newspaper El País, Jean-Luc Dehaene, Belgian Prime Minister, analyses the results achieved by the Twelve at the Copenhagen European Council held on 21 and 22 June.
Der Europäische Rat von Essen (9. und 10. Dezember 1994)
On 9 December 1994, the Brussels daily newspaper La Libre Belgique analyses the range of decisions adopted by the Essen European Council with regard to the process of enlargement of the European Union to include the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs).
On 9 December 1994, the French daily newspaper Le Monde considers the major European issues to be tackled at the Essen European Council held on 9 and 10 December and, in particular, the question of the enlargement of the European Union to include the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs).
On 10 December 1994, commenting on the Essen European Council, the French daily newspaper Libération outlines the implications of the enlargement of the European Union to include the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs), with particular regard to the common agricultural policy (CAP) and structural aid to the most disadvantaged regions.
On 10 December 1994, commenting on the Essen European Council, the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir outlines the economic difficulties involved in the integration of some of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs) into the European Union.
At the Essen European Council of 9 and 10 December 1994, the Twelve define a pre-accession strategy in order to prepare the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs) for the progressive integration of the Community acquis into their national law.
At the Essen European Council (9–10 December 1994), the Twelve determine a pre-accession strategy to prepare the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs) for the gradual incorporation of the Community acquis into their national legislation. From left to right: Klaus Kinkel (German Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union), Helmut Kohl (German Chancellor and President-in-Office of the European Council) and Theodor Waigel (German Finance Minister).
On 23 June 1995, the French daily newspaper Le Monde outlines the challenges of the forthcoming enlargement of the European Union and places particular emphasis on the impatience of some of the applicant countries.
Der Europäische Rat von Luxemburg (12. und 13. Dezember 1997)
On 4 December 1997, during a visit to Estonia, Pierre Moscovici, French Minister for European Affairs, delivers an address in Tallinn in which he sets out France’s priorities with regard to the widening and deepening of the European Union.
During the Luxembourg European Council held on 12 and 13 December 1997, the Fifteen launch a comprehensive accession process for the accession of the ten applicant countries from Central and Eastern Europe, as well as Cyprus, to the European Union.
On 12 December 1997, commenting on the issues at stake at the Luxembourg European Council, the French daily newspaper Libération analyses the attitude of the Fifteen towards the future enlargement of the European Union.
On 12 December 1997, the French daily newspaper Le Monde analyses the economic situation of the countries which have applied for accession to the European Union.
On 13 December 1997, the French daily newspaper Le Monde outlines the implications and challenges of the enlargement of the European Union to include the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs), Malta and Cyprus.
On 14 December 1997, in an interview granted to RFI (Radio France Internationale), Pierre Moscovici, French Minister responsible for European Affairs, comments on the outcome of the Luxembourg European Council on the EU enlargement process.
On 14 December 1997, the daily newspaper La Libre Belgique reports on the decisions adopted by the Luxembourg European Council with regard to the opening of negotiations for accession to the European Union with Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland and Slovenia.
On 15 December 1997, Bronislaw Geremek, Polish Foreign Minister, grants an interview to the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir in which he comments on the decisions adopted at the end of the Luxembourg European Council with regard to the forthcoming enlargement of the European Union.
The Helsinki European Council of 10 and 11 December 1999 decides to extend the accession negotiations procedure to six applicant countries (Malta, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Latvia and Lithuania) and gives Turkey the status of ‘applicant country’ without, however, opening accession negotiations or fixing a precise timetable.
On 11 December 1999, Jan Kulakowski, Polish State Secretary responsible for Poland’s negotiations for accession to the European Union, grants an interview to the French daily newspaper Le Monde in which he expresses his views on the EU enlargement process.
In April 2000, the monthly journal Revue du Marché Commun et de l’Union Européenne publishes an interview with Günter Verheugen, European Commissioner for Enlargement, who discusses the decisions adopted in December 1999 at the end of the Helsinki European Council.
Der Europäische Rat von Göteborg (15. und 16. Juni 2001)
At the meeting of the European Council held in Gothenburg on 15 and 16 June 2001, the Heads of State or Government of the Fifteen lay down the guidelines for the next stages of enlargement, the debate on the future of the European Union, sustainable development, economic and social issues and the European Union’s external relations.
On 19 June 2001, the Belgian daily economic newspaper L’Écho comments on the decisions taken at the Göteborg European Council concerning the enlargement of the European Union.
Der Europäische Rat von Göteborg (15. und 16. Juni 2001)
In ihrer Ausgabe vom Sommer 2001 kritisiert die föderalistische Zeitschrift L’Europe en formation die schwachen Ergebnisse des Europäischen Rates von Göteborg am 15. und 16. Juni 2001.
Der Europäische Rat von Laeken (14. und 15. Dezember 2001)
On 13 December 2001, on the eve of the Laeken Summit, the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir outlines the state of the preparations being made by the countries which have applied for accession to European Union.
On 12 December 2002, commenting on the Copenhagen European Council, the French weekly news magazine L’Express speculates on the political and institutional repercussions of the future enlargement of the European Union.
At the Copenhagen European Council held on 12 and 13 December 2002, the Heads of State or Government of the Fifteen listen to Valéry Giscard d’Estaing’s report on the progress of the work carried out by the European Convention before focusing, in particular, on the enlargement of the European Union and the common foreign and security policy (CFSP).
On 13 December 2002, commenting on the conclusions of the Copenhagen European Council, the French daily newspaper Le Monde considers the new challenges facing the enlarged European Union.
On 13 December 2002, commenting on the conclusions of the Copenhagen European Council, the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir profiles an enlarged European Union consisting of 25 Member States.
On 16 December 2002, Noëlle Lenoir, French Minister Delegate for European Affairs, comments on the decisions taken at the Copenhagen European Council concerning the enlargement of the European Union.
Am 16. Dezember 2002 gibt der britische Premierminister Tony Blair am Rande des Europäischen Rates von Kopenhagen eine Pressekonferenz, bei der er vor allem auf die historische Tragweite der von den fünfzehn Staats- und Regierungschefs getroffenen Beschlüssen bezüglich der Erweiterung der Europäischen Union eingeht.
On 18 December 2002, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Danish Prime Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union, outlines to the European Parliament the nature of the decisions adopted at the end of the Copenhagen European Council, with particular regard to the enlargement of the European Union.
‘Welcome to the club.’ Following the Copenhagen European Council held on 12 and 13 December 2002, the German cartoonist, Walter Hanel, takes an ironic look at the condition of the ‘European house’ in the light of the forthcoming enlargement of the European Union to include 10 new Member States.