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Chronology: Malta and the European Union
1970, December 5
Malta signs Association Agreement with the European Economic
Community.
1970, April 1
EEC-Malta Association Agreement came into effect.
1976, April
1st Financial Protocol 1978-1983 approved between Malta and
the EEC worth ECU 26 million.
1978, November
1st Financial Protocol enters into force.
1983
2nd Financial Protocol (1983-1988) between Malta and the EEC
enters into force, worth ECU 29.5 million
1988, December
Adaptation protocol signed leading to the 3rd Financial Protocol
(1988-1993) worth ECU 38 million
1990, July 16
Malta submits formal application to join the European Community.
1990, September 17
Council of Ministers responds to Malta's application by instructing
the European Commission to prepare an opinion (avis) on Malta's
application.
1991, November 29
The Delegation of the European Commission in Malta officially
inaugurated.
1993, June 30
European Commission delivers its opinion (avis) on Malta's
application to join the EU.
1993, October
European Council endorses the Commission's opinion on Malta.
1994, June
Corfu European Council includes a statement that "the
next phase of enlargement of the EU will involve Cyprus and
Malta."
1994, December
Essen European Council confirms that the next phase of enlargement
of the EU will involve Cyprus and Malta and invites Commission
to submit new report on the implementation of the economic
reforms in Malta.
1995, March 3
Commission presents to Council of Ministers a paper analysing
the implementation of the economic reform programme.
1995, April 10
Council of the European Union concludes that accession negotiations
with Malta and Cyprus should start, on the basis of the Commission's
proposals, six months after the conclusion of the Intergovernmental
Conference. Council also expressed intention to adopt a structured
dialogue with Malta.
1995, June 12
Malta and the EU sign 4th Financial Protocol (1995-1998) worth
ECU 45 million
1995, June
Cannes European Council reaffirms that "negotiations
on the accession of Malta and Cyprus to the Union will begin
on the basis of Commission proposals, six months after the
conclusion of the 1996 Intergovernmental Conference and taking
the outcome of that Conference into account."
1995, November
Malta accepted as partner in the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership
Process launched by the Barcelona Conference.
1995, December
Madrid European Council was pleased that structured dialogue
with both countries began in July 1995 within the framework
of the pre-accession strategy.
1996, June
Florence European Council recalls its Madrid conclusions.
1996, July 4
4th Financial Protocol enters into force to facilitate Malta's
economic transition with a view to Malta being fully prepared
for accession.
1996, October
New Labour Government in Malta suspends application for EU
membership.
1996, November 23
Malta's Foreign Minister explains to Council of Ministers
the position of the new Government of Malta.
1998, February 5
European Commission publishes a Communication on the EU-Malta
free trade area within the ambit of the Euro-Mediterranean
partnership, to include all trade, no sector excluded.
1998, April 28
Joint Declaration on Future Relations between Malta and the
EU signed by Malta-EU Association Council.
1998, September 10
New Nationalist Government reactivates Malta's application
for EU membership.
1998, October 5
Council of Ministers asks Commission to prepare an updated
opinion (avis) on Malta's application by early 1999.
1998, December
Vienna European Council welcomes "Malta's decision to
reactivate its application for European Union membership and
takes note of the intention of the Commission to present at
the beginning of next year an updating of its favourable opinion
of 1993".
1999, June
Cologne European Council states "that, on the basis of
the Commission's updated opinion on Malta's accession application,
it has now been possible to make a start on analytical examination
of the Union acquis with Malta."
1999, December
Helsinki European Council: "Determined to lend a positive
contribution to security and stability on the European continent
and in the light of recent developments as well as the Commission's
reports, the European Council has decided to convene bilateral
intergovernmental conferences in February 2000 to begin negotiations
with Romania, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Malta
on the conditions for their entry into the Union and the ensuing
Treaty adjustments."
2000, February, 15
Accession negotiations open formally with Malta.
2000, May, 25
Malta opens and concludes negotiations on seven chapters:
industrial policy, small and medium-sized enterprises, science
and research, education and training, telecommunications,
external relations and common foreign and security policy.
Malta also opens negotiations on culture and audiovisual policy.
Total number of chapters opened: eight. Total number of chapters
closed: seven.
2000, June
Santa Maria de Feira European Council reaffirms priority for
the Union of the enlargement process and notes with satisfaction
the substantive progress in the negotiations since the Helsinki
European Council. In particular, it welcomes "the launching
of accession negotiations with Malta, Romania, Slovakia, Latvia,
Lithuania and Bulgaria, and the first concrete results already
achieved". The European Council considers that it should
be feasible to open negotiations in all areas of the acquis
with the most advanced of these candidates as early as possible
in 2001.
2000, October 24
Malta opens and concludes two chapters: statistics and consumers
and health protection. Malta also closes negotiations on culture
and audiovisual policy and opens them on fisheries. Total
number of chapters opened increased to 11. Total number of
chapters closed increased to 10.
2000, November 16
Malta opens and concludes two chapters: company law and economic
and monetary union. Malta also opens negotiations on free
movement of capital, competition policy and social policy
and employment. Total number of chapters opened up to 16.
Total number of chapters closed: 12.
2001, March 29
Malta opens and concludes negotiations on financial control.
Negotiations also open on free movement of services, transport
policy, regional policy and financial and budgetary provisions.
Total number of chapters opened: 21. Total number of chapters
closed: 13.
2001, June 1
Malta opens and concludes negotiations on free movement of
goods and energy obtaining two permanent arrangements and
two transitional periods. Malta also opens negotiations on
environment and customs union. Negotiations close on free
movement of services. Total number of chapter open: 25. Total
number of chapters closed: 16.
2001, June 12
Malta opens negotiations on free movement of persons and on
taxation. Total number of chapters open: 27.
2001, June 27
Malta opens negotiations on justice and home affairs and closes
talks on free movement of persons obtaining a permanent special
arrangement. Total number of chapters open: 28. Total number
of chapters closed: 17.
2001, October 26
Malta closes negotiations on transport obtaining four transitional
periods. Number of chapters closed: 18.
2001, November 28
Malta closes negotiations on social policy and employment,
obtaining four transitional periods. Number of chapters closed:
19.
2001, December
Laeken European Council agrees with Commission which considered
that, "if the present rate of progress of the negotiations
and reforms in the candidate States is maintained, Cyprus,
Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak
Republic, the Czech Republic and Slovenia could be ready"
to end negotiations by the end of 2002 and take part in the
elections for the European Parliament due in June 2004.
2001, December 12
Malta opens negotiations on agriculture. Number of chapters
open: 29.
2001, December 21
Malta closes negotiations on free movement of capital obtaining
a permanent special arrangement. Number of chapters closed:
20.
2002, March 21
Malta closes negotiations on justice and home affairs. Number
of chapters closed: 21.
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