Overcoming obstacles to joining the European UnionContext In the aftermath of the Second World War, major European players wanted to rebuild the European economy and ensure that such a devastating conflict would not would ever happen again. From this desire was born the European Coal and Steel Community (CECA), a 1951 agreement between six nations to have a common market for goods most associated with war. Over time the ECSC evolved into what it is today: the European Union (EU). Today the EU comprises 28 countries and over 500 million citizens in a single market. Countries have many reasons for wanting to join the EU. Membership means access to a large and competitive market with free movement of goods, services, people and capital. Create a common culture and forge bonds, in hopes of preventing future wars. But while the EU claims to be “open to all democratic European countries wishing to join,” there are also barriers to membership. Legal barriers, such as the Copenhagen criteria defined by a 1993 European Council in Denmark, require that membership candidates achieve a stable democracy that respects the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. It also requires the candidate to have a functioning market economy. A policy called “acquis communautaire” derives from the Copenhagen criteria which require members to align their national laws with all European Union policies. As the EU grows and passes more and more laws, the bureaucratic nature of the acquis communautaire increasingly slows down the EU's expansion. Political barriers also make EU membership more difficult. For a new member to join the EU, all current EU member states must unanimously approve its membership. A number of reasons could mean that a candidate has no presence in twenty-eight countries and his mandate has shifted from control of the coal and steel economy to a common market for all goods. with few border restrictions and a common currency in over half of the states. The EU promotes democracy by standardizing its members' laws and institutions, has a judicial system and its mandate has evolved to include policies on energy, environment, health, education, infrastructure and agriculture. And none of this happened overnight. Accepting new members is so difficult due to careful considerations. Member states have the right to determine with whom and when they want to integrate. Progress in negotiation occurs only when a potential member makes real changes that are agreed upon by all parties. Rapid enlargement could lead to great strains on European institutions and agreements would certainly become more difficult to reach.