[20030926]RS21624_欧盟候选国：2003年公民投票结果.pdf

Congressional Research Service The Library of CongressCRS Report for CongressReceived through the CRS WebOrder Code RS21624September 26, 2003European Union Candidate Countries:2003 Referenda Resultsname redactedSpecialist in International RelationsForeign Affairs, Defense, and Trade DivisionSummaryTheCzechRepublic,Estonia,Hungary,Latvia,Lithuania,Malta,Poland,Slovakia,and Slovenia held public referenda from March through September 2003 on becomingmembers of the European Union (EU). These nine countries plus Cyprus are expectedto accede to the EU in May 2004, bringing the EUs total membership to twenty-five.This report briefly analyzes the referenda results and implications.It will not beupdated.For additional information see CRS Report RS21344, European UnionEnlargement.Background to the ReferendaTheEuropeanUnion is embarkingonamajorenlargement process that willexpandtheUnionfrom fifteento twenty-five members bymid-2004, and potentiallymore in thecomingyears. Thecurrentroundofenlargementisnotableforitssize(whichwillexpandthe EU zone from 378 to over 450 million people) and inclusion of many formerCommunist bloc countries. Ten candidate countries Cyprus, the Czech Republic,Estonia,