The first of May 2004 marked an important date in the history of Europe as a political, geographic, and social entity. After years of negotiations, ten European countries joined the European Union, bringing in their potential and expectations, adding a total population of 75 million people and a territory of 738,000 square kilometres: Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Malta, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The EU will continue its enlargement under the Luxembourg Presidency. The membership treaty with Bulgaria and Romania will be finalised with a view to signature in 25 April 2005, in order to join the EU by 2007. Once it has been signed, this will mark the end of the current accession cycle. Membership negotiations with Croatia should commence on 17 March 2005. In mid-December 2004 EU leaders endorsed eventual Turkish entry into the EU, but said that there could be permanent restrictions on freedom of movement for Turkish workers; earlier, the EU Parliament voted 407-262 in favour of Turkey's entry. Romania feels and acts like a European country. You will rather notice a European flag in Bucharest than in London, for example. Romania is not only a country who makes effort to join the European family, by introducing the necessary legal provisions in the national legislation, but it is already part of one, whole Europe, ruled by law, an area of Freedom, Security and Justice. Romania fights against immigration flows targeting Western Countries and guards the external border of European Union. In the same time, Romanians are spread all over Europe, living there alike other Europeans. Until the European Union Member States will decide that Romania truly deserves to join the family, Romanians have to prove that they do not only feel and act as Europeans, but they truly are Europeans
