2004-4-30
This is John Dryden with In the News, in VOA Special English.
The European Union now has twenty-five members instead of
fifteen. Among the new E-U countries are the Czech Republic,
Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and the former Yugoslav republic of
Slovenia. So are Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the Mediterranean
islands of Cyprus and Malta.
Ireland currently holds the E-U
presidency, and organized the welcoming ceremonies on Saturday in
Dublin. Negotiations for entry began six years ago.
The European Union began in nineteen-fifty as a trade and
economic group. The first six members were Germany, France, Italy
the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Later, Britain, Denmark,
Ireland, Greece and Portugal joined. The other current members are
Spain, Austria, Sweden and Finland.
The group now deals with such issues as human rights,
environmental protection and job creation. E-U members have been
struggling to write a constitution.
The current expansion is the largest yet and creates a single
market of four-hundred-fifty-million people. The new members will
receive financial help.
Supporters of enlargement say call this a historic chance to
unite Europe. They say it will make Europe safer. And they say it
could ease expected labor shortages in E-U markets.
But some officials say it will be difficult for twenty-five
countries with different histories and cultures to work together.
Eight of the new members formerly had Communist governments. Most
have only limited experience with democratic systems and market
economies.
The ten new members are much poorer than the current ones. Their
membership will add only about five percent to E-U production.
The new members are angry at restrictions placed on the movement
of workers to wealthier E-U countries. Wealthy countries worry about
foreigners looking for jobs and public assistance.
Labor unions and others in countries like Germany with high labor
costs worry about job losses. They fear that employers will move
jobs to countries where wages are a lot lower.
Wealthier countries are also not happy to have to share their E-U
farm support payments. The new members want guarantees they will get
their fair share. Their local industries worry about the competition
they will now face from other E-U countries.
Romania and Bulgaria are expected
to join the European Union in two-thousand-seven. Turkey has
attempted for years to join. The issue has divided Europeans. French
President Jacques Chirac said this week that Turkey is not ready
yet.
Mister Chirac said Turkey probably will not be ready to join for
at least ten years. He said Turkey needs to do more to improve its
human rights and justice system before it can meet the conditions
for membership.
In the News, in VOA Special English, was written by Cynthia Kirk.
This is John Dryden.