Opinion on Iceland's EU bid in February

By Toby Vogel - 28.01.2010 / 16:21 CET

European Commission to call for the start of membership talks with Iceland.

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Croatians vote 'Yes' to EU membership

Large majority in favour of joining EU but turnout is low.

Croatians vote on joining the EU

Croatians too must vote in favour in a referendum before the country's parliament ratifies accession.

Fact file

The Copenhagen criteria

A country wishing to start membership talks with the European Union has to meet a range of conditions – known as the ‘Copenhagen criteria' – agreed by EU leaders in 1993. A country needs to have:

stable institutions that guarantee democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;
a functioning market economy, as well as the ability to cope with the pressure of competition and the market forces at work inside the Union;
the ability to assume the obligations of membership, in particular adherence to the objectives of political, economic and monetary union.