Source:
BBCThe European Union should open talks aimed at welcoming Macedonia as a member, the European Commission says.
The former Yugoslav republic had made "convincing progress" in areas like police reform, corruption and human rights, the Commission said.
Serbia, Albania, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo are all hoping to be put formally on the path to EU membership.
The announcement sparked celebrations on the streets of Skopje, where people honked car horns and waved Macedonian and EU flags.
Read more:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8307491.stm
One of the good things about EU expansion is that for new countries to join they have to meet standards in terms of "police reform, corruption and human rights" before the EU will admit them. That process is good for their citizens even before the new member country is actually admitted to the EU.