A new dawn for Europe

Join our special programme, live from Warsaw, from 0600

Ministers from European Union countries meet in Brussels today for one of their regular summits.

This time, though, instead of 15 countries, there will be 25 represented around the table.

They're joining the summit as the EU prepares for the arrival of ten new member states in a few week's time.

In a special programme this morning, Breakfast looked at what EU enlargement will mean for all of us.

Breakfast's Dermot Murnaghan presented the programme live from the Polish capital, Warsaw

jump to our Your Comments page to read what you said about today's special programe

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Highlights of today's special coverage

Go West, young man

Will there be a flood of immigrants from the East - or a trickle of much needed skilled workers?

Breakfast's Jules Botfield went to Slovakia - where she found the young professionals of Bratislava were eager for foreign travel.

Dermot Murnaghan went on to the streets of Warsaw, where he found that many of those who want to work in Britain hope to settle back in Poland

We discussed the chances of a brain drain with Professor Edward Golahowski , from Warsaw's School of Economics and Cambridge Professor Bob Rowthorn.

In Slovakia, Jules found it's young professionals who want to travel

Will Poland lose its brightest and best? We talked to one doctor, Joanna Parkowicz who predicts that medics will be tempted to come to Britain - and to Alojzy Novack from Warsaw University and David Goodhart, the editor of Prospect magazine

We also heard from a British man - Tim Symes - who has settled in Poland with his wife Dorota.

The political dimension

To find out more about what's on the agenda for today's summit of 25 nations, we spoke to Britain's Europe Minister Dennis McShane

We talked live to the former Labour leader Neil Kinnock, who's now Vice President of the European Commission

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Background

The ten countries joining Europe on May 1 are: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia , Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.

At a stroke, the EU's population will increase by one fifth, to make it the world's biggest single market.

Supporters of enlargement believe that this alone will increase Europe's economic clout - while critics fear that the gap between current members and new members may make for mass immigration from Eastern Europe.

Whatever happens, there are at least three more countries - Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania - knocking on Europe's doors.

For much more background on Europe, follow the links on the right hand side of this story.

Click here for highlights from the rest of the week's coverage

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