Belgium backs away from suggestion of new EU member list in December

Current European Union (EU) president Belgium appeared on Saturday to pull b ack from its surprise suggestion that the EU might name in December the firs t group of East European candidates likely to join the bloc in 2004. In a st atement, Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel explained that there would be no list of countries, but the EU would review the progress made by the candi date countries. "There will be no lists, no rankings. We are simply speaking of a deeper interpretation, appraisal and analysis of the progress reports d rawn up by the European Commission," Michel said. On Friday, Belgian Prime M inister Guy Verhofstadt said the EU would be ready at their next gathering i n December to name specific candidates for the first wave of enlargement. Ve rhofstadt will tomorrow travel to Poland, the biggest candidate to join the EU, to urge the new government to continue the efforts of its predecessor. (Reuters)