EU Parliament approves historic expansion

The European Parliament today ratified the EU’s historic eastwards expansion, paving the way for 10 new members to join next May.

In 10 separate votes on each candidate, the 626-member EU assembly, meeting in Strasbourg, France, voted overwhelmingly to back their accession to the club, which is scheduled for May 1, 2004.

All 10 – Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Malta and Cyprus – got the parliament’s backing, despite some doubts from some quarters.

“The time for enlargement has come and that time is now,” said European Parliament President Pat Cox.

After the European Parliament vote, all 15 EU national parliaments also have to approve the expansion. In the new members, referendums are being organised on EU entry. Voters in Malta and Slovenia have already backed membership. Hungary is the next country to vote, on Saturday.