a clear message has been handed out to east and central European countries wishing to join the European Union ( eu ) : clean up first. With concern for the environment in the forefront, eu deli-vered its missive quietly yet forcefully, at the recent environment ministers meeting in Brussels on conditions for those wanting to join the 15-nation eu . Said a eu official, "The message here was: environment is not something you can forget about. We are saying you have to take this seriously, and now is the time.'

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