Suchergebnisse

IN THE COMING YEARS, THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) FACES THE PROSPECT OF ENLARGEMENT FROM FIFTEEN MEMBER STATES TO AS MANY AS TWENTY-SIX. IF PROPERLY PREPARED, AN ENLARGED EU COULD BRING INCREASED SECURITY, STABILITY AND PROSPERITY TO EUROPE. THE NEXT ENLARGEMENT WILL CLEARLY PRESENT DIFFERENT PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES FROM THOSE PRECEDING, AND THE UNION MAY HAVE TO FIND NEW APPROACHES AND NEW SOLUTIONS. THE PROSPECT OF EU MEMBERSHIP CONTINUES TO OFFER THE BEST INCENTIVE TO THE CENTRAL AND EAST EUROPEANS TO PERSEVERE WITH POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION. THE CHANGES WHICH HAVE TO BE MADE ARE OFTEN PAINFUL, AND SO FAR HAVE BROUGHT LITTLE REWARD FOR POLITICIANS IN OFFICE. WITHOUT THE SUSTAINED ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE EU, A NUMBER OF COUNTRIES COULD EASILY BE BLOWN OFF COURSE.