Portugal has taken over the rotating presidency of the European Union with expanding the organisation's membership the top priority.

The EU is already holding entry negotiations with Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Slovenia and Estonia and the Portuguese foreign minister, Jaime Gama, has said he wanted talks with six other applicants to begin as early as February; The six are Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia and Estonia.

The Portuguese have also said they want to focus on cutting unemployment in the EU which currently stands at ten per-cent and they will host a special summit in March.

Efforts will also be made under the Portuguese presidency to strengthen the EU's ties with Africa where it's hoped to finalise a new trade and aid agreement to replace the Lome Convention.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service