Over the last five years, as a member of the European committee of the regions, I have met with representatives of the local, regional and national governments of the applicant countries. They have the same aspirations for their citizens as Ireland had in 1973. They want closer links with their European neighbours, to shake off the shackles of the Cold War and communism and, through co-operation and negotiation, to build a lasting peace. They want to improve and expand their industrial and agricultural sectors, to give greater prosperity to their citizens and to share their culture, heritage and creativity with the EU.