The Council Sets Date for the Historic Enlargement of Ten

In view of the Copenhagen European Council (12-13 December 2002) and based on the decisions taken by the Brussels European Council the previous month, the General Affairs and External Relations Council meets in Brussels to examine the next steps with the aim of concluding the accession negotiations for the accession of Cyprus, Malta, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia to the EU. Following consultations held on the sidelines with the Ministers of the above countries, the Council set their accession date as May 1, 2004. Indeed, on May 1, 2004, the EU welcomed the above countries in this historic major enlargement of Ten.