Leonardo Blair, Staff Reporter IN A MOVE that will make it the largest expansion in its history, the European Union (EU), will today increase its member countries to 25, representing an increase of 10
countries.
In an interview with The Gleaner on Thursday, Peter Mathers, British High Commissioner, explained that the expansion would mean increased tourism and trade for Jamaica and other members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
The Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia will be the new additions to the EU which should all realise increased prosperity from their involvement in the Union.
While he indicated that he was not offering any advice to Jamaica, Mr. Mathers explained that the current debate in Jamaica about t he nation's involvement in the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) is comparable t o Britain's reservations before it entered the EU. The advantages of Britain's membership after overcoming the reservations, however, has "outweighed the disadvantages."
"I am not offering any view about that (Jamaica's involvement in CSME), but the experience that Britain has had in Europe and what's happening on May 1, is I think relevant to this debate," said Mr. Mathers. "There has been so many positive aspects of what the Union has been doing, I think it's probably necessary to flag these up because otherwise the sceptics, the people who are nervous about this wider getting together of other countries take the headlines."
Among other things, said Mr. Mathers, the enlargement of the EU has resulted in more wealth for member countries, new trade and investment opportunities; the creation of a level playing field for British businesses across Europe and the transformation of the social and economic landscape of the countries.
Before today there were 15 EU member states - Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom with a total of 380 million citizens.
Bulgaria and Romania are also 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 a functioning market economy as well as a civil service capable of applying and managing EU laws.
The roots of the modern day EU can be traced back to the 1950s. The 1951 Treaty of Paris established the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands were the members.
The ECSC came into force in 1954, its aim was to rebuild the economies of post-war Europe and promote broader integration in Europe.
By breaking down old hostilities between states, particularly France and Germany, the member states united in the face of threats to security posed by the Cold War.
The six members of the ECSC went on to create the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1958. The EEC was more complex than the ECSC; its aim was to allow freer movement of goods, people, money and services within the community.
The EEC planned to develop a single market, a common agricultural policy and a common external tariff on goods coming into the Community.
In 1973 membership of the EEC expanded; Britain, Ireland and Denmark joined. Greece, Portugal and Spain joined in the 1980s. Austria, Finland and Sweden joined in 1995. The fall of the Berlin Wall led to East Germany becoming part of the EEC in 1990.
The EEC became known as the European Union (EU) following the signing of the "Treaty on European Union" in 1992.
