Progress by the candidate countries in
meeting the membership criteria

As in previous years, this year's Regular Reports highlight legal measures actually adopted rather than those under preparation. The Commission has examined whether, since October 2000, announced reforms have in fact been carried out. For each of the 29 chapters of the European Union's acquis, the reports analyse the progress made by each candidate in adopting the acquis and in ensuring its implementation and enforcement through the necessary administrative structures. Each chapter includes not only an assessment of progress achieved since last year's report, but also an assessment of overall progress.

The assessment is based initially on information provided by the candidate countries themselves. The Commission has also drawn upon information provided in the context of the accession negotiations as well as in meetings held under the Association Agreements. It has compared information from these sources with that contained in the new National Programmes for the Adoption of the Acquis, which were transmitted to the Commission in the first part of 2001. The Commission has drawn on the reports of the European Parliament, evaluations from the Member States, the work of international organisations, in particular the Council of Europe and OSCE, and international financial institutions, European business associations as well as non­governmental organisations.

Subsections

• Political criteria
  • Overall development
  • Conclusions
  
  
• Economic criteria
  • Overall Developments
  • Conclusions
  
  
• Other obligations of membership
  • Adoption, implementation and enforcement of the acquis
  • Sector overview and conclusions
  • EMU and the EURO