Workshop on "European Union and Azerbaijan" held for journalists

As APA informs, the Head and Coordinator of European House Wolfgang Sporrer gave information about history, structure and policy of European Union (EU), its cooperation with Azerbaijan and Europe neighborhood Policy.

He said that EU had spent 400 million euro on the projects implemented in Azerbaijan, such aids would continue and strengthen in framework of European Neighborhood Policy. Speaking of membership to EU, Wolfgang Sporrer stressed that countries wanting to be member of the organization had to be located in Europe, make democratic reforms, possess liberal market economy and defend the human rights in the required level.

He said that Russia's unable to access to the organization because it's a big country. Wolfgang Sporrer also stressed that there was no membership fee for EU: "Countries, which economies enable, pay funds; poor countries make use of these funds". He mentioned Austria, France and Germany as countries paying funds: "Ireland, which was poor, used to receive aids from EU formerly, but it's the second rich country now".

The Coordinator says that not all of EU member countries have confirmed euro as currency unit. 10 countries have not applied euro because of their economical conditions, but Great Britain, Denmark, Sweden don't want to use it. Economy of Bulgaria and Rumania which will be admitted to EU in early next year are also unable to apply it. These countries stated that they will strengthen their economies in order to use euro".