Euro-MP welcomes new countries in to the European Union.

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 30th Apr 2004

West Midlands Euro-MP Liz Lynne said the ten new member states joining the European Union tomorrow will be a source of dynamism in the EU economies boosting spending power and combating inflation.

The ten countries who will join the EU tomorrow will bring the total population of the EU to 444 million.

Speaking ahead of the celebrations across Europe, which will see the EU become the largest single market in the world in terms of population the Liberal Democrat MEP said:

"As Liberal Democrat MEP for the West Midlands I would like to welcome all ten countries in to the European Union. We have always supported the idea of expansion as the EU should be an open democratic union not an exclusive club.

"I believe that the economic advantages of enlargement have been seriously underestimated. It will mean 74 million new customers for British business.

"Enlargement will also bring greater security to the whole of Europe, and make it easier to deal with issues like ethnic rights, pollution, organised crime and migration.

"The expansion of the union by member states to develop common policies has contributed to unprecedented levels of peace and prosperity within Europe during the last 50 years. This is an historic opportunity to make sure Europe never again descends in to division and conflict.

"Over the last year representatives from the accession countries have been shadowing MEPs and the Commission to produce a smoother enlargement I am sure we will be able to work together to produce a better and a more united Europe. A Europe that has at the heart of it the principal of subsidiarity, in other words local or national decisions where possible and only legislation at European level where necessary.

ENDS

Notes to editors

The ten accession countries are: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovak Republic and Slovenia.