The Helsinki Summit in 1999

The Helsinki summit (10, 11 December 1999) marks the ending of a transitional period in the European Union life, from a region exclusively and economically integrated, with a unique market, to a political body which aims to have its own external policy and security initiatives.

The decisions that were taken at Helsinki referred at three fields: the enlargement of the Union (with three aspects: of Turkey, of a new group of countries from former socialist block and of the two Baltic Republics acceptance), the founding of the quick reaction force independent of NATO and the institutional restructuring with a view to accepting new members.

Following the Helsinki summit European Union decided to invite the following countries to negotiation in order to obtain the member statute with full rights: Malta, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Lithuania and Latvia. It decided also that the real negotiation of joining to start in February 2000.

By really accepting these countries and other that already are negotiating the joining terms to EU since March 1998 (Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Estonia and Cyprus) the number of European Union's members countries will increase from 15 to 28 until 2025. When these countries become a part of EU, the population of Union will be 500 millions, which will represent a 30% increase. A similar extension will be that of enlargement of Union territory.

By inviting to the negotiation of Bulgaria, Romania and Slovakia besides Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovenia, the Union aims at integrating from the economic and political point of view, all the countries from Central and Eastern Europe which in the Cold War were in the Russia's influence area.

On short term the decision seems to affect the Union's development processes in the respect that all these states need financial support in order to increase their economic performance. But on medium and long term, their integration also represents advantages: the internal market and the Union's strength increase.

Also at Helsinki it was decided to set up at least until 2003 of an European quick reaction force, made up of 50 000 - 60 000 people, a force that may be dislocated in maximum six months and which can be maintained in a conflictual area one year maximum. The missions of this force are humanitarian and to maintain peace. Quick reaction force is to be made up for the beginning of national units which are under NATO's leadership. The majority of the comments estimate that the measure of setting up this European force reflects the decision that, from military point of view and from the external policy initiatives in general, Europe should not be like in the last conflict situation of Yugoslavia, namely that of being dependent on United States.

The decision was accompanied by setting up three new bodies:
- a political and security commission, with permanent mission, made up of national representatives at ambassador level;
- a military commission, made up of defense ministers;
- a general staff, which offers expertise when it is requested;

The importance of European's quick reaction force may be synthesized quoting the president Chirac's declaration within the summit: "now the Union has at its disposal all the instruments in order to lead a true external policy".

The third decision taken in Helsinki referes to the institutional Union's restructuring. The Union aimed at a dead line regarding the end of this reform at least year 2002, considering that it itself must be prepared in order to welcome the first new members.