After two-day painstaking talks in Copenhagen, European Union (EU) leaders agreed last Friday on the financial terms with 10 countries, mostly from eastern Europe, to bring them into the union in 2004.

"Accession of 10 members states will bring an end to the divisions in Europe," said Romano Prodi, president of the European Commission, the EU's executive arm. "For the first time in history Europe will become one because unification is the free will of its people," he added.

The biggest expansion in the EU's 45-year history, which will embrace Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Cyprus and Malta in May 2004, has been highly commended by European leaders for practically erasing the division on the continent, a legacy of the decades-long Cold War.

The dissolution of the Soviet Union and the resulting end of the Cold War have profoundly altered the existing geopolitical order, bringing an end to the old models for the international balance of power. Against this backdrop, the process of enlargement to include central and eastern Europe represents a historical undertaking for the EU.

Another momentous event for Europe in the year 2002 was the decision taken by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), at its Prague summit on November 21, to invite seven central and eastern European countries -- Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Slovenia -- to become its members. Both the epoch-making events could help expand Europe's sphere of influence and economic potential, ensuring a bigger and stronger Europe in the new century.

To achieve a smooth accession process, the two blocs have been carrying out institutional reforms to make themselves better prepared for expansion, and the candidate countries have been implementing drastic reforms in political institutions, macro- economic policies, defense, social security and other key sectors. To vie for EU membership, for example, the candidate countries need to transpose more than 10,000 pages of EU laws and regulations into their national laws.

"EUROPE NOW CAN SPEAK 'WITH A SINGLE VOICE'"

EU's population will rise by over 25 percent to 500 million, although its total gross domestic product (GDP) will grow by no more than 5 percent with this wave of accessions. But a united Europe will greatly add its political weight in the international arena.

Europe now can speak "with a single voice" on many issues because of the common foreign policy it is pursuing. Whether in relations with the United States, Russia, China or in participating in the Middle East-related mediation, Europe proves to be a heavyweight player.

Prodi has reiterated that Europe is pursuing the path of multilateralism, not unilateralism, and that Europe should be one of the key pillars supporting the world order.

"Europe's approach to international relations is taking shape," he said at a conference on politics and ethnics in Vienna, Austria recently. He said on more than one occasion that the enlargement of the EU is more political than economic.

"What we are about to undertake is to extend the stability and prosperity we have achieved in the current EU into the future and over to our neighbors - neighbors who have always naturally belonged to Europe, but have been artificially cut off by the Iron Curtain," European Commissioner for Enlargement Gunter Verheugen said in November.

After the Kosovo crisis, the EU felt it a pressing need to create a rapid response force for and by itself. During the EU's Copenhagen summit last week, NATO approved a long-delayed deal guaranteeing the EU's access to its planning resources for EU military operations, clearing the way for Europe to start peacekeeping missions in the Balkans. Such a move would be a major step forward in EU efforts to set up an effective military force, and help consolidate Europe as a unified whole.

"EU access to NATO planning capabilities...is now assured, effective immediately," NATO Secretary General Lord Robertson said at the alliance headquarters in Brussels. "This is a vital milestone in the history of NATO-EU relations," he pointed out.

EUROPEAN INTEGRATION: AN UNCEASING PROCESS

The process of European integration started from early 1950's and has never ceased. Following the customs union, the single market as well as the economic and monetary union, the coming into circulation of a single currency, euro, in the EU would bring about further economic interdependence and cohesion with promotion of cross-border cooperation. The smooth introduction of the euro in 1999 and the notes and coins in 2002 bring a welcome note of stability and confidence. This necessitates broad economic guidance and monitoring, reflecting a new stage of integration.

The introduction of the euro is regarded as the largest-ever currency-changeover operation. The 12 participating countries produced 15 billion notes and 51 billion coins and distributed in the first few weeks of 2002 some 8 billion notes and 38 billion coins to 218, 000 banks and post offices, 2.8 million sales outlets and 302 million individuals.

Integration follows the introduction of the new currency. On the first day of the euro circulation, some 95 percent or more small firms in the 12 participating countries were keeping their accounts and setting prices in euros. At present, all the business transactions in the euro-zone are conducted in the new currency instead of the legacy currencies, which facilitates capital flow and gathers pace for economic life.

Now the total GDP volume of all the EU countries stands at over 10 trillion euros, very close to the scale of the US economy. With further economic integration, European economy would be more competitive and robust. Undoubtedly, this integration will in return reinforce stability and security.

In retrospect of what Europe has gone through in 2002, one cannot fail to realize that the imminent enlargement and further economic integration will promise better prospects for the continent as a whole in the new century. A bigger and stronger Europe is already taking shape.