Industries in the candidate countries are starting to implement EU environmental standards, improving the air we breathe and the water in Europe's rivers and seas. The candidate countries are not just our partners of tomorrow, they are already our partners today. In the European convention we co-operate with many of them to shape the European Union of tomorrow. Having regained their sovereignty, they are in no rush to lose it and, like us, want to retain decision making at national level wherever that is best.