Ireland · 25th anniversary of the 2004 EU enlargement

On 1 May 2004, ten countries joined the European Union: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Malta and Cyprus. The European Union thus grew from 15 to 25 member states. It was the largest enlargement round in its history up to that point.

Before this, the acceding countries had undergone different political and economic developments. Several of them had been part of the communist sphere of influence until the end of the Cold War. Accession required the fulfilment of political and economic conditions, including democratic structures based on the rule of law, a functioning market economy and the adoption of the European Union’s common body of law.

The enlargement integrated countries from Western, Central and Eastern Europe more closely into a common political and economic order. It was therefore also connected with the changes in Europe following the end of the continent’s division. For the new member states, membership opened up, among other things, participation in the single market and the European Union’s common institutions.

Ireland held the presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2004. During this Irish Council Presidency, the enlargement took effect on 1 May 2004. The anniversary therefore refers not only to the accession of the ten countries, but also to a period in which Ireland assumed an institutional role in implementing this step.

The issue marking the 25th anniversary in 2029 commemorates this enlargement round and the admission of the ten countries to the European Union.