Greece · 25th anniversary of the 2004 EU enlargement

On 1 May 2004, ten states joined the European Union simultaneously: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Malta and Cyprus. This fundamentally changed the Union’s political and geographical shape. For the first time, it included states from the former socialist part of Europe as well as two Mediterranean islands.

The enlargement had been preceded by many years of accession negotiations. The conditions for admission included stable democratic institutions, the rule of law, the protection of minorities and a functioning market economy. The acceding states also had to adopt the existing body of European Union law, known as the acquis communautaire. The enlargement was therefore not only a political decision but also an extensive process of adjustment.

Its historical background lay in the political reorganisation of Europe following the end of the Cold War. States that had previously belonged to different political and economic systems were integrated into a common framework. Membership was intended to support their democratic and economic development while also placing cooperation within Europe on a broader foundation. For the existing member states, the accession entailed adjustments to the European institutions and decision-making procedures.

Greece was already a member of the European Community or the European Union at that time and therefore participated in this enlargement process from the perspective of an existing member state. The choice of the anniversary for a Greek commemorative coin refers to the development of European integration beyond national borders. The focus is not on an individual or a building, but on a political step through which several states were permanently incorporated into the common structures of the European Union.