AFR Meeting with the Candidate Countries on 28 October 2002

19.09.02

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has today invited the Heads of State or Government of the 13 Candidate Countries to a meeting with the Presidency of the European Union in Copenhagen on 28 October. The President of the Commission Romano Prodi, Commissioner for Enlargement Günter Verheugen and the Council Secretary-General Javier Solana are also invited to the meeting.

On this occasion, Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen states:

“I have today invited my colleagues from the 13 Candidate Countries to a meeting in Copenhagen on Monday 28 October. It will be a short meeting followed by a lunch. The purpose of the meeting is to inform the Candidate Countries about the results of the European Council meeting in Brussels on 24-25 October.

The enlargement will be the dominant item on the agenda for the European Council meeting in Brussels. We must decide which will be the Candidate Countries with which negotiations can be concluded at the end of 2002. At this meeting, the 15 Member States must also find a common position on the unresolved questions of the enlargement negotiations concerning agriculture and budget.

On 28 October, I will inform the Candidate Countries about the results of the European Council meeting. The meeting will thus mark the beginning of the final phase of negotiations with the Candidate Countries. In other words, it will be the starting signal to the run-up to the finishing line in Copenhagen in December.”

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The meeting is scheduled to be held in Eigtveds Pakhus in Copenhagen on 28 October 2002 between 10 am and 2.30 pm. Further information to the press on the practical details will follow later.