An expanded European Union, with 10 new member states set to join...

An expanded European Union, with 10 new member states set to join, should be an attractive investment destination for pension plans involved in emerging markets, said David Gait, portfolio manager responsible for emerging Europe at First State Investments. "Membership will have a powerful effect on economic growth in the Eastern Europe region; it gives us confidence in the region," he said. EU leaders meeting in Copenhagen today forged a compromise on membership involving increased subsidies to the newcomers, notably Poland, which was demanding an additional 2 billion euros ($2.04 billion). Along with Poland, other membership candidates are Czech Republic, Slovakia, Cyprus, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Malta and Slovenia.