Candidate Countries

The term candidate countries denotes the countries that are advanced in the accession process with the European Union (EU), and have signed a Stabilization and Partnership Agreement with the European Commission. The countries outside the EU can be either in the group of potential future members or countries that will be regarded as good neighbors. As of 2008 the EU candidate countries are Croatia, (former Yugoslav Republic of) Macedonia, and Turkey. Potential candidate countries, per official documents of the EU, are the countries of the Western Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and Kosovo (the territory under United Nations [UN] administration following UN Security Council Resolution No. 1244 of 1999).

The accession process and candidature begins with the submission of a request for membership from a potential applicant country to the Council of the European Union. The European Commission (acting de facto as the EU's government) assesses the capacity of the applicant as to whether a country meets the accession criteria. The accession criteria were defined at the meeting of the Council in Copenhagen in 1993 and were modified later at the meeting in Madrid in 1995. If the Commission is of positive opinion and the recommendation of the Commission is unanimously upheld by the Council, the formal negotiation process [Page 217]can begin. In fact the candidate country has a relationship not only with the Commission as the representative of the EU, but also with all the member states.

The negotiation focuses on the endorsement of the entire EU legal framework, known as Acquis Communautaire. The negotiations are usually fairly slow and meticulous, with discussions about when and how the candidate country will align its legal system with the EU legal framework, and meet in full the EU expectations. The Copenhagen criteria can be summarized as follows: (1) political: stable institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights, and respect for/protection of minorities; (2) economic: a functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces in the EU, and (3) the capacity to take on the obligations of membership, including adherence to the objectives of political, economic, and monetary union. The Copenhagen criteria were reinforced by the European Council in Madrid in 1995, with a further one added: (4) adoption of the Acquis Communautaire and its effective implementation through appropriate administrative and judicial structures. However, it should also be noted that the EU must be able to absorb new members, so it reserves the right to decide when it will be ready to accept them. This is the reason why the candidate country may make excellent progress toward meeting all four criteria for full membership and still not be invited to join.

The pre-accession strategy is designed to prepare the candidate countries for future membership. It encompasses the following frameworks and mechanisms: (1) Europe agreements—stabilization and association agreements; (2) accession partnerships—European partnerships; (3) pre-accession assistance; (4) co-financing from international, i.e., European, financial institutions; (5) participation in the EU programs, agencies, and committees; (6) national program for the adoption of the Acquis Communautaire; (7) regular progress reports; and (8) political and economic dialogue.

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