On the Union side, the 15 member states were the parties to the accession negotiations. The Presidency of the Council of Ministers presented the negotiating positions agreed by the Council and chaired negotiating sessions. Each applicant country drew up its position on each of the 31 chapters of the EU acquis to engage in negotiations. The European Commission proposed the draft negotiating positions. The Commission was in close contact with the applicant countries to seek solutions to problems arising during the negotiations. Tribute must be paid to the Commission for this. It comes in for a great deal of stick, some of it deserved, but I was impressed by the supportive role that it played in the negotiations and the understanding it showed to the particular difficulties of the new states.