May Day favourite for countries to join EU

May Day 2004 was expected to be confirmed today as the official membership date for 10 new countries joining the European Union.

The other option – April Fool’s Day – was likely to be rejected because it offers an open goal to eurosceptics and headline writers. Some believe that May Day, the international distress signal, is dubious for similar reasons, but a third possible date of May 9 2004 has been already rejected.