Austria · 25th anniversary of the 2004 EU enlargement

On 1 May 2004, ten states joined the European Union: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Cyprus. It was the largest enlargement round since the founding of the European Communities.

The admission of these states was the result of a years-long process of rapprochement and accession. Among other things, the candidates had to demonstrate democratic institutions, the rule of law, a functioning market economy and the ability to adopt the European Union’s common body of law.

The enlargement incorporated into European integration states from Central and Eastern Europe that had changed their political and economic systems after the end of the Cold War. At the same time, two island states in the Mediterranean joined. The European Union thereby extended its political, economic and legal framework to a larger part of the continent.

The accession of the ten countries changed the composition of the European Union and placed new demands on its institutions and decision-making procedures. It also deepened cooperation between states with different historical experiences and economic conditions.

The anniversary commemorates this turning point in the development of the European Union. The 2004 enlargement represents the transition from a divided European order to a more closely interconnected community of states.