Udvidelsen skal, som det fremgår af Helsinki-konklusionerne, ind ledes samtidig for alle ansøgerlandene i Central- og Østeuropa for at undgå en opsplitning i to grupper.
For his part, Commissioner Verheugen emphasised that there would have to be further reforms of the EU after the Nice Summit and indeed the convening of another IGC so that the EU's reforms would be in place before 31 December 2002.