§ Dr. Julian LewisTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries for which it is Government policy that they should ultimately be permitted to join the European Union. [136230]
§ Mr. VazThere are currently 13 candidates for membership of the European Union (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey).
In addition, as Articles 49 and 6(1) of the Treaty on European Union make clear, membership of the European Union is open to any European state which respects
the principals of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.This includes the countries of the Western Balkans who are all potential candidates for EU membership.