Press release

AFR Meeting with candidate countries in Copenhagen on 28 October 2002

24.10.02

On 28 October 2002, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen will meet the Heads of State and Government of the 13 candidate countries. The Danish EU Presidency has invited the candidate countries to Copenhagen as part of the current discussions on EU enlargement. At the meeting, the Danish EU Presidency and the Commission will give the candidate countries a first-hand account of the meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 24-25 October, where the top item on the agenda is the enlargement of the EU.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister states:

“The meeting with the candidate countries marks the beginning of the concluding round of negotiations on the enlargement.

The enlargement will be on the agenda at the meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 24-25 October when the 15 present EU Member States are to take the necessary decisions on which countries are ready for accession in the first round, and on the outstanding financial issues. The result of the meeting in Brussels will be decisive for the course of the concluding enlargement negotiations and thereby for whether we, in the end, will be able to reach decision on enlargement of the EU in Copenhagen in December.

As President of the European Council, I have therefore found it important to give my colleagues in the candidate countries a briefing on the result of the meeting in Brussels as soon as possible.”

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The meeting with the candidate countries will take place from 10:00 AM to 2:30 PM at Eigtveds Pakhus, Asiatisk Plads 2, Copenhagen.

There will be a press conference at 2:30 PM, Eigtveds Pakhus, conference room III, attended by Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Council Secretary-General/High Representative Javier Solana, Commission President Romano Prodi and Enlargement Commissioner Günter Verheugen.

Furthermore, there will be photo opportunities (pool) in connection with Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s reception of the candidate countries at 10:00 AM at the entrance of Eigtveds Pakhus and at the beginning of the meeting at 10:30 AM in conference room II.

Accreditation is required, please see www.eu2002.dk /media service.

Contact information Head of Section Jesper Fersløv Andersen, phone: +45 33 92 22 35/40 80 36 88 Head of Section Michael Helbo, phone: +45 33 92 22 22/40 80 36 85.