On 19 December 1961, the European Parliamentary Assembly unanimously adopts the report drawn up on behalf of the Political Committee on the political and institutional aspects of accession to or association with the European Economic Community (EEC).

In its preliminary Opinion, submitted to the Council on 29 September 1967, concerning the applications for accession to the European Communities from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark and Norway, the Commission reiterates the conditions that each of the countries must fulfil, with particular reference to the acquis communautaire, the body of Community legislation adopted hitherto, and compliance with the economic criteria. In particular, the United Kingdom must restore a sustainable balance in its economy and its balance of payments and adjust the role of sterling so that the pound may be integrated into a Community monetary system.

Meeting in the Hague on 1 and 2 December 1969, the Heads of State or Government of the six Member States of the European Communities reaffirm their agreement on the principle of enlargement, provided that all ‘applicant countries accept the Treaties and their political finality, the decisions taken since the entry into force of the Treaties and the options made in the sphere of development.’

On 5 April 1977, the Presidents of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission of the European Communities sign a joint declaration in Luxembourg affirming that they will do their utmost to protect the fundamental rights enshrined in both in the constitutions of the Member States and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

On 8 April 1978, the European Council meeting in Copenhagen declares that respect for and maintenance of representative democracy and human rights in each Member State are essential elements of membership of the European Communities.

In its Opinion of 23 May 1979 on the application submitted by Greece for accession to the European Communities, the Commission recalls that the principles of pluralist democracy and respect for human rights form part of the common heritage of the peoples of the States which constitute the European Communities and are therefore essential elements for membership of the said Communities.

The Maastricht European Council of 9 and 19 December 1991 recalls that the Treaty on European Union provides that any European State whose systems of Government are founded on the principle of democracy may apply to become members of the Union.

Submitted to the Lisbon European Council of 26 and 27 June 1992 and annexed to the Presidency’s Conclusions, the European Commission report ‘Europe and the Challenge of Enlargement’ lists the conditions for accession to the European Union which applicant countries must satisfy and warns about conditions which must be fulfilled to safeguard the effectiveness of an enlarged Union.

The Copenhagen European Council of 21 and 22 June 1993 defines the economic and political conditions for accession to the European Union.

Group photo taken during the Copenhagen European Council of 21 and 22 June 1993. In the front row: Helmut Kohl, Federal Chancellor of Germany; François Mitterrand, President of the French Republic; Margrethe II, Queen of Denmark; Henrik, Prince of Denmark; Ingrid, Princess of Denmark; and Konstantinos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece. In the second row: Felipe González, President of the Spanish Government; John Major, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Jean-Luc Dehaene, Prime Minister of Belgium; Aníbal Cavaco Silva, Prime Minister of Portugal; Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark; and Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, President of the Italian Council of Ministers. In the third row: Jacques Santer, Prime Minister of Luxembourg; Albert Reynolds, Prime Minister of Ireland; Edouard Balladur, Prime Minister of France; and Ruud Lubbers, Prime Minister of the Netherlands. In the fourth row: Dick Spring, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs; Jacques Poos, Luxembourg Minister for Foreign Affairs; and Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission.

Compliance with the common principles set out in Article 6(1) of the Treaty on European Union constitutes a condition for any State wishing to accede to the European Union. In this communication, dated 15 October 2003, the European Commission reviews the implementing procedures laid down in Article 7 with a view to ensuring compliance with those principles, as well as the tangible means of action available to the Union’s institutions.

On 6 October 2004, given that Turkey sufficiently fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria and provided that it brings into force any outstanding legislation, the European Commission recommends the opening of accession negotiations with Turkey.

In an article published on 9 December 1999 in the French daily newspaper Le Monde, Alain Lamassoure, Member of the European Parliament, argues that the ‘European’ nature of a country as a condition for accession to the European Union should only be assessed according to the criterion of geography, independently of historical, religious or cultural considerations, with the aim of establishing objective limits to the enlargement of the European Union.

On the eve of the European Union–Western Balkans Summit, due to be held in Thessaloniki on 21 June 2003, the French daily newspaper Le Figaro reports on the Fifteen’s desire to support the possible accession of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro on the condition that the accession criteria are strictly respected and by initially encouraging the stability and association programme.

On 6 January 2005, Ferdinando Riccardi, Editor-in-Chief of Agence Europe in Brussels, draws attention to the European Parliament’s demands relating to Turkey’s accession to the European Union resulting, in particular, from the Copenhagen political criteria.

In this interview, Charles Rutten, former Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the European Communities, discusses the negotiations on the Association Agreements between the EEC and Greece and Turkey and recalls the position of the United States on this subject.