EU Candidates Meet Negotiated Terms to a Satisfactory Level, Says Verheugen

Brussels, 5 June - Accession negotiations with EU candidate countries are proceeding satisfactorily and the future members mostly meet their obligations in given time frames, was assessed by the European Commission in a report published on Wednesday. "I am certain that the EU could close negotiations with the ready candidates by the end of the year," said Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen at the presentation of the report on the candidates' progress in meeting the negotiated terms and their administrative readiness for EU membership.