About: enlargement dates

Iceland’s path to EU membership may be a rocky one

The Icelandic parliament's recent vote "to apply for membership [of the European Union] was a close run thing – 33 in favour, 28 against – and it would certainly be wrong to underestimate the negotiating difficulties which lie ahead," writes Michael Berendt, a former European Commission official and current public affairs advisor, in a July post on Blogactiv.

The cost of no Turkey

"When Turkey is admitted as a member of the EU, the new Union will be in a much better position to project open society values in the world," writes Hakan Altinay, executive director of the Open Society Foundation, in a May paper.

Austrian finance minister questions Turkey’s accession

In a number of interviews, Karl-Heinz Grasser, the likely future president of the EU's Economic and Financial Affairs Council under the upcoming Austrian presidency, has called for a deferral of accession talks with Turkey.

Fischer adds to confusing debate on enlargement timetables

German Foreign Minister Fischer says the EU should provide a timetable that shows the next stages of enlargement.

France dampens hopes for early enlargement

France dampens candidates' hopes for an early EU membership by categorically refusing to set enlargement dates in Nice.