Comparisons between the average height of European men and women aged 15-24 and those 65 and over, reveal a growth spurt of 5 cm. Fertility in the EU has reached an all time post-war low, the number of babies born in 1998 dropping to 4 million. At the last European Council in Helsinki in December 1999, the Heads of Government from Member States opened the doors to enlargement. From now on, all candidate countries will be considered within a single framework. The former two wave distinction no longer exists.
Turkey now has the status of official candidate.
The Council also decided to set up a rapid reaction force.