A Final Report Card for New EU Members

Nikosia, the capital of Cyprus

Cyprus

Making the grade: Alignment with EU law in most areas completed.

Could be better: Unification of the island remains a priority, with a reunification referendum having failed on the Greek half of the island; worries about intimidation of the press and limitations of freedom of expression in the Turkish northern part of the island; still needs to set up an agency for managing EU agricultural subsidies; needs to improve maritime safety.

Horse drawn carriages in Old Town Square, Prague

Czech Republic

Making the grade: Good overall economic performance; has by and large adopted EU legal framework; laudable efforts to end discrimination against Roma minority population.

Could be better: Implement better safety measures at food-processing plants to protect European consumers; deal with trafficking in human beings, especially children, along the Czech-German border; combat money-laundering; mutual recognition of qualifications in the health care sector; rethink plans for barrages on the upper reaches of the Elbe river in light of the 2002 floods.

A general view of the old town of Tallinn, Estonia

Estonia

Making the grade: Strong economic performance; significant foreign direct investment; relatively low inflation rate.

Could be better: Address problem of about 165,000 stateless persons (ethnic Russians); improve gender equality; liberalize electricity and gas sectors by 2008; improve regional development; mutual recognition of professional qualifications.

The Hungarian Parliament on the Danube River in Budapest

Hungary

Making the grade: Legal framework for fighting organized crime and economic crime has been improved; breakthroughs achieved in combating money laundering; on track to set up anti-discrimination law protecting minorities such as Roma.

Could be better: Needs to set up a paying agency for EU agricultural funds without which money can not be handed out to farmers; corruption remains a serious problem; health care services have to be managed better.

Old town Riga, Latvia's capital

Latvia

Making the grade: Restructured administration and judiciary; commitment to combat corruption.

Could be better: Corruption remains widespread; shortening pre-trial investigations to deal with overcrowded prisons; unemployment remains especially high in rural areas; do more to integrate ethnic minorities; guarantee freedom of expression; needs to set up paying agency for EU agricultural funds.

Street scene in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius

Lithuania

Making the grade: Enormous progress in the economic field; low inflation; substantial foreign direct investment; high level of alignment with EU laws; satisfactory integration of minorities.

Could be better: Deal with high and persistent unemployment levels; ensure border security; combat illegal trafficking and organized crime.

Warsaw's city center

Malta

Making the grade: Aligned legislation with EU laws.

Could be better: European Wild Birds Directive still needs to be implemented as illegal hunting of fowl remains a problem.

Castle in the Slovakian capital Bratislava

Poland

Making the grade: Significant reform of public finances; economic improvement.

Could be better: High unemployment; high level of corruption; EU legislation on food safety, environment and animal welfare still not fully implemented; greater security for foreign investors; effectiveness of judicial machinery needs to be improved; effective professional civil service needed, recognition of professional qualifications.

Slovenia's capital Ljubljana

Slovakia

Making the grade: Legislation in place to implement EU laws; efforts to improve living conditions for Roma; improved protection of eastern borders; good economic progress.

Could be better: Corruption remains widespread; swift completion of reform of public administration; must set up paying agency to hand out EU agricultural funds.

Slovenia

Making the grade: Significant economic progress; lifted restrictions on direct foreign investment; country with the fewest shortcomings.

Could be better: Privatization of financial sector; recognition of professional qualifications; combating high-level corruption; bringing inflation under control.