§ Sir Teddy TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the(a) levels of unemployment and (b) living standards in the nations which will secure membership of the EU in May. [146654]
§ Mr. MacShaneIn 2003, average unemployment in the 10 accession countries was 10.2 per cent., caused largely by the restructuring required for EU accession. It is expected that this figure will fall as the adjustments become embedded. Unemployment in the EU15 in 2003 remained unchanged at 8.0 per cent. The average GDP per capita in the 10 accession countries in 2002 (latest figures) was US$7,105, compared to US$24,689 in the EU15. While this demonstrates the current disparity between existing and new member states, the real GDP growth in accession countries over the last five years has been 18.9 per cent. (4.1 per cent. in 2003), compared with 10.1 per cent. in the EU 15 (0.8 per cent. in 2003).
Combined with the political and economic reforms enacted for EU membership, this sustained growth should facilitate a gradual reduction in the current disparity, as has been the case in previous waves of enlargement. (All figures are from the IMF).