Deutsche Genossenschaftbank report: EU expansion in 2005 at the earliest

"The earliest possible date of expanding the European Union (EU) to the East is Jan. 1, 2005," said analysts from German investment bank Deutsche Genossenschaftbank (DG). According to DG, neither the EU, nor accession candidates will be ready for accession before that date. DG bases its opinion on the current level of negotiations, the candidates preparedness and the EU's internal need for reform. The bank also stresses that EU members are unwilling to address the key issues for expansion, such as reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) or the structural funds for regional aid. "There is no way the EU's current criteria of structural aid or agricultural aid can accommodate 25 EU members," said the DG report. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 26)