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Patten: EU Is Almost Full

December 29, 2003

External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten has warned that the EuropeanUnion will be almost "full" after the next round of enlargement, which will see the number of member states rise to 25.

https://p.dw.com/p/4UiR

External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten has warned that the European Union will be almost "full" after the next round of enlargement, which will see the number of member states rise to 25. Speaking on Britain’s Radio 4 over the weekend, Patten said there "must be a line where the EU ends and that line had almost been reached." Next May, ten countries, mainly from Central and Eastern Europe, will join the bloc - the biggest enlargement at one time in the Union's history. "There is a sense that at 25 or 30 the EU is going to be difficult to run. At much more than that, well nigh impossible", said the Commissioner. (EUobserver.com)