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Until May 2004 there were 15 EU Member States with a total of 380 million citizens. Ten more countries, mainly from central and Eastern Europe, joined the EU in 2004. Bulgaria and Romania are likely to join in 2007, bringing the EU's total population to nearly 500 million. Turkey is also a candidate country and could join later, when all the conditions for membership are met.
In order to become a member of the EU, a country must have a stable democracy that guarantees the rule of law, human rights and protection of minorities, and it must have a functioning market economy as well as a civil service capable of applying and managing EU laws.
The EU provides substantial financial assistance and advice to help the candidate countries prepare themselves for membership. This unprecedented co-operation has brought benefits to people in both present and future Member States. Trade has increased massively, and it has become easier to deal with the problems that effect us all, such as cross-border pollution and the fight against crime.
This is the European Union's most ambitious enlargement ever. Never before has the EU embraced so many new countries, grown so much in terms of area and population or encompassed so many different histories and cultures. This historic opportunity will unite the European continent, consolidating peace, stability and democracy, and enabling its peoples to share the benefits of progress and welfare generated by European integration.
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