EU hopefuls start fight for better deal

Denmark hopes to wrap up negotiations by December

By Oana Lungescu BBC Europe correspondent

The European Union has launched the final stage of negotiations in its ambitious project to admit 10 more countries, mostly from central and eastern Europe, by 2004.

There will [be] some tough nuts to crack. The room for manoeuvre is limited

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen

The leaders of the applicant countries were given details of the EU's financial proposals by the Danish Prime Minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, whose country holds the presidency of the EU.

But the leaders of the applicant countries said they would try to get better terms than those currently on offer.

Mr Rasmussen told them he was confident that difficult negotiations on a financial package - worth 40 billion euros - to finance enlargement could be wrapped up in December, at the next EU summit in Copenhagen.

Candidates shortlist

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Estonia

Hungary

Latvia

Lithuania

Malta

Poland

Slovakia

Slovenia

"For 45 years, Europe was a divided continent. In 45 days, we can finally close this dark chapter in European history," he said.

But he admitted there would be some tough nuts to crack.

Applicant countries like Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic say it is unfair that their farmers should wait for 10 years before getting the same amounts of aid as their Western colleagues.

But Mr Rasmussen described their demands to shorten the delay as unrealistic.

The applicants also want more money to help their regions and upgrade their infrastructure, and stronger guarantees that they will not be worse off after joining the EU than before.

The leaders of the applicant countries need to be seen by the voters as fighting their corner, now that the tough talk about money has started in earnest.

But at the end of the year, no-one will want to risk the delay or failure of the EU's historic eastwards expansion.