Did you know that, as a result of successive enlargements, the European Union (EU) is the largest economy in the world, with more than 500 million citizens? It has more weight internationally than ever before.
The EU’s enlargement policy supports the membership preparations of those European countries which aspire to join the EU. Thereby it helps to make Europe a safer place, and promotes democracy and fundamental freedoms, while consolidating the rule of law in the aspiring countries.
Croatia, the latest country to join the EU, became the Union’s 28th Member State in 2013. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland (negotiations with Iceland have been put on hold following the decision of the Icelandic government), Kosovo*, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey are candidates or potential candidates. Some of them are already in the negotiation process or waiting to start, while others have the prospect of membership when they are prepared.
The European Commission is keen to learn more about what you think:
- What is your experience in an enlarged European Union?
- How can the enlarged European Union meet the challenges of the future?
Share your views on one or both questions in an article (max 1 000 words) and win great prizes!
Eligibility
- The competition is open to citizens of the 28 EU Member States.
- Participants must be aged 18 to 25 years at the deadline for submission.
- Participants must be a resident of an EU Member State.
Prizes
- The national winners will be awarded with a three-day visit to Brussels, Belgium, at the end of May 2015. The winning articles will also be published on the European Commission’s website and will be offered to leading national media for publication. (The exact dates and programme of the visit will be confirmed once the winners have been chosen.)
The following costs related to the visit to Brussels will be covered for each winner:
– An economy-class roundtrip flight or roundtrip first-class train travel to Brussels from the winner’s place of residence in one of the 28 EU Member States, meals and accommodation, local transportation costs in Brussels, and admission to organised activities.
Deadline for submissions is 27 February 2015 at midday (CET).
Read more and submit your entry here.
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* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence
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