Latvia · 25th anniversary of the 2004 EU enlargement

The enlargement of the European Union on 1 May 2004 was the largest admission of new member states in the history of the Union. Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czechia and Hungary joined at the same time. As a result, the number of member states increased from 15 to 25.

The enlargement was preceded by extensive accession negotiations. Among other things, the applicant states had to adapt their legislation to Union law and meet the political and economic requirements for membership. With accession, their citizens became EU citizens; at the same time, the new member states were integrated into the European Union’s common institutions and political procedures.

The step was connected with the political changes in Europe following the end of the Cold War. Central and Eastern European states that had previously been outside the Western European integration communities became more closely integrated into European cooperation. The enlargement was intended to promote political stability, expand economic ties and overcome the division of Europe institutionally. Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union only later.

For Latvia, accession marked a transition from an outsider European republic to a member of the European Union. Since then, the country has participated in common decision-making processes and has been integrated into the single market. The anniversary therefore commemorates not only the admission of several states, but also Latvia’s integration into the European political and economic order. The issue takes up this shared historical connection from a Latvian perspective.