Skip to content
— CH. 1 · FOUNDATIONS AND EARLY GROWTH —

Enlargement of the European Union

~3 min read · Ch. 1 of 6
6 sections

  • The European Economic Community began its life on the 1st of January 1958. Six nations signed the Treaty of Rome to create this new economic bloc. France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands formed what historians call the Inner Six. These countries pooled their coal and steel industries under a single authority. The goal was to make war between them impossible by tying their economies together. This initial group established the legal framework for all future expansions. They created common markets and set rules for trade that would eventually apply to dozens more states.

  • Greece joined the European Economic Community in 1981 after emerging from military dictatorship. Spain and Portugal followed two years later in 1986. These three southern nations sought security for their new democracies through membership. François Mitterrand initially opposed their entry fearing they were not ready. He worried the union would become merely a free-trade area without political depth. Despite these concerns, the EEC welcomed them to stabilize its southern borders. No referendums were held in any of these three countries before they joined. Their accession marked a shift from purely economic goals to political consolidation.

  • The Copenhagen summit took place in June 1993 to establish strict conditions for new members. Any country wishing to join must maintain stable democratic institutions respecting human rights. A functioning market economy is also required alongside the ability to adopt EU laws. These standards became known as the Copenhagen criteria. France and Germany pushed for these reforms to ensure future integrations did not strain the system. The Madrid European Council revised these criteria in December 1995 to include administrative adjustments. Prospective members must now implement national legislation effectively through appropriate judicial structures.

  • Ten Central and Eastern European countries joined the Union on the 1st of May 2004. This historic enlargement included Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Cyprus, and Malta. Mikhail Gorbachev had announced the Sinatra Doctrine allowing Soviet satellites to choose their own path. The collapse of communism created an urgent need for Western integration guarantees. The United States pressured the EU to offer membership as a temporary shield against Russian influence. Some older member states feared the less developed economies would burden the budget. The UK immediately opened its job markets while others placed temporary restrictions on workers from the new states.

  • Algeria gained independence on the 5th of July 1962 and left the Community that same year. Greenland voted to withdraw from the EEC in 1985 after being granted home rule by Denmark. The United Kingdom officially exited the Union on the 31st of January 2020 following Brexit. These departures represent significant territorial reductions throughout the organization's history. France initially opposed British membership multiple times before finally accepting it in 1973. Norway lost two national referendums on membership in 1972 and 1994. Switzerland formally withdrew its application in 2016 after freezing it since 1992.

  • Accession negotiations are currently ongoing with Ukraine, Moldova, and several Western Balkan nations. Ukraine submitted its application for candidacy in June 2022 during the Russian invasion. Moldova received candidate status at the same time as Ukraine. Georgia was granted official candidate status in December 2023 but faced a halt in proceedings later. Montenegro has reached the most advanced stage of negotiation among all current applicants. Its political goal is to achieve full membership by 2028. Turkey opened negotiations in October 2005 but they have been effectively frozen since December 2016 due to backsliding on democracy.

Common questions

When did the European Economic Community begin its life?

The European Economic Community began its life on the 1st of January 1958. Six nations signed the Treaty of Rome to create this new economic bloc.

Which countries joined the European Economic Community in 1986?

Spain and Portugal followed Greece to join the European Economic Community two years later in 1986. These three southern nations sought security for their new democracies through membership.

What are the Copenhagen criteria for joining the European Union?

Any country wishing to join must maintain stable democratic institutions respecting human rights and possess a functioning market economy. A functioning market economy is also required alongside the ability to adopt EU laws.

How many Central and Eastern European countries joined the European Union on the 1st of May 2004?

Ten Central and Eastern European countries joined the Union on the 1st of May 2004. This historic enlargement included Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Cyprus, and Malta.

When did Greenland vote to withdraw from the European Economic Community?

Greenland voted to withdraw from the EEC in 1985 after being granted home rule by Denmark. The United Kingdom officially exited the Union on the 31st of January 2020 following Brexit.

Which country has reached the most advanced stage of negotiation among current applicants for the European Union?

Montenegro has reached the most advanced stage of negotiation among all current applicants. Its political goal is to achieve full membership by 2028.

See all questions about Enlargement of the European Union →

All sources

98 references cited across the entry

  1. 1webTurkey 2006 Progress ReportEuropean Commission — 8 November 2006
  2. 2newsEU says won't expand Turkey membership talksDanny Kempf — 13 December 2016
  3. 3webEnlargement and Stabilisation and Association process - Council conclusions (10555/18)General Secretariat of the Council — 26 June 2018
  4. 4webCouncil conclusions on Enlargement (16707/23)General Secretariat of the Council — 12 December 2023
  5. 5newsIs Turkey's bid for EU membership over?Umut Uras — Al Jazeera — 20 Sep 2023
  6. 6webEnlargement: TürkiyeGeneral Secretariat of the Council — 11 January 2024
  7. 7web'Huge, historic move': EU grants Bosnia and Herzegovina Candidate Status15 December 2022
  8. 8webEnlargement: Bosnia and HerzegovinaGeneral Secretariat of the Council — 4 May 2024
  9. 9webEnlargement: GeorgiaGeneral Secretariat of the Council — 7 February 2024
  10. 10newsKosovo leaders sign application request to join EUErion Xhabafti et al. — 14 December 2022
  11. 11webPRESIDENCY CONCLUSIONS : Copenhagen European Council – 21–22 June 1993European Parliament
  12. 12inlineArticle : A success for Konstantinos Karamanli on CVCE.eu
  13. 13newsEU anger as France blocks move into Balkans18 October 2019
  14. 14web6 countries write to Juncker to support EU enlargement reformRYM MOMTAZ et al. — 19 November 2019
  15. 15webNov 2019 NP Enlargement EN
  16. 16webEuropean Commission – Enlargement: Archives Country ProfilesEuropean Commission
  17. 17inlineTimetable for accession negotiations by chapter and by country (1998–2004) CVCE.eu
  18. 18inlinePiket, Vincent EU Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy , Institute for Strategic Studies
  19. 19inlineBeyond Enlargement Fatigue? The Dutch debate on Turkish accession, European Security Initiative 2006
  20. 20bookPolitics in the European UnionIan Bache et al. — Oxford University Press — 2006
  21. 21inlineKardas, Saban (13 May 2009) Merkel and Sarkozy Call for Privileged Partnership Angers Turkey, Jamestown Foundation
  22. 22inlineSchauble, Wolfgang (2004) Talking Turkey, Foreign Affairs
  23. 23webEU launches accession talks with North Macedonia, Albania19 July 2022
  24. 24newsMEPs: Open accession talks with Ukraine, Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina13 December 2023
  25. 25newsGeorgia's PM Signs Application to Join the EUCivil.ge — Civil.ge — 3 March 2022
  26. 26newsEuropean Council grants EU candidate status to Georgia - Council PresidentAgenda.ge — 14 December 2023
  27. 27webIceland's EU application still active, says European Commission - RÚV.isDarren Adam — 2025-01-15
  28. 28newsEuropean Commission- Enlargement- Kosovo*28 June 2013
  29. 29webCheck current statusAnonymous — 6 December 2016
  30. 30webChronologyEuropean Commission
  31. 31webStatement by President von der Leyen on opening accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova25 July 2024
  32. 32newsEU Mulls Deeper Policy Cooperation with MoroccoDefense News — 22 March 2006
  33. 33web1972European Commission — 10 November 2005
  34. 34web1994European Commission — 10 November 2005
  35. 35webLa ofensiva europeaJunta de Castilla y León Government of Castile and Leon
  36. 36webEU membership application not to be withdrawnswissinfo — 26 October 2005
  37. 37webEU and Switzerland4 July 2006
  38. 38webRetirer la demande d'adhésion à l'UE et dire les choses telles qu'elles sontReimann Lukas — 2014-03-21
  39. 39webRetrait de la demande d'adhesion de la Suisse a l'UESwiss Federal Council — 27 July 2016
  40. 40newsTurkey condemns European parliament committee call to suspend...21 February 2019
  41. 41webTurkey Faces Crucial Vote on EU Accession Before Local Ballot
  42. 42webThe Schuman Declaration – 9 May 1950European Commission — 12 January 2015
  43. 43journalThe evolution of the political criteria for accession to the European Community, 1957–1973Ronald Janse — 2018
  44. 44thesisEspaña ante la integración europea (1962-1967): el largo proceso para la apertura de negociacionesHeidy Cristina Senante Berendes — University of Alicante — 2002
  45. 45inline1971 Year in Review , UPI.com
  46. 46webTurkey Secretariat General for EU affairs – Current situation in accession negotiations
  47. 47bookProgress Toward the Unification of EuropeHelena Tang — World Bank Publications — 1 January 2000
  48. 48bookA Quarter Century of Post-Communism AssessedM. Steven Fish et al. — Springer — 9 February 2017
  49. 49bookEurope Unites: The EU's Eastern EnlargementPeter A. Poole — Greenwood — 7 March 2003
  50. 50webtransition report archiveEuropean Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  51. 51bookWorld Economic Outlook, October 1999: Safeguarding Macroeconomci Stability at Low InflationInternational Monetary Fund — 1 October 1999
  52. 52bookLabor, Employment, and Social Policies in the EU Enlargement Process: Changing Perspectives and Policy OptionsLodovico Pizzati et al. — World Bank Publications — 7 March 2002
  53. 53bookOECD Review of Agricultural Policies: Romania 2000OECD Publishing — 29 September 2000
  54. 54bookDemographic Consequences of Economic Transition in Countries of Central and Eastern EuropeDimitŭr Filipov et al. — Council of Europe — 1 January 2003
  55. 55bookGlobal Trends in Eastern EuropeNikolai Genov — Routledge — 22 April 2016
  56. 56webEvolution of the Industrial Sector in Transition Economies: A Statistical OverviewUnited Nations Economic and Social Council et al. — 3 May 2005
  57. 57bookEnlarging the Euro Area: External Empowerment and Domestic Transformation in East Central EuropeKenneth Dyson — Oxford University Press — 2 November 2006
  58. 58bookFrom Transition to Accession: Developing Stable and Competitive Financial Markets in BulgariaEsen Ulgenerk et al. — World Bank Publications — 1 January 2000
  59. 59bookEnlarging the Euro Area: External Empowerment and Domestic Transformation in East Central EuropeKenneth Dyson — Oxford University Press — 2 November 2006
  60. 60bookEnlarging the Euro AreaKenneth Dyson — OUP Oxford — 2 November 2006
  61. 61bookRestructuring Post-Communist RussiaYitzhak Brudny et al. — Cambridge University Press — 21 June 2004
  62. 62bookViaggio nell'hansa baltica : l'Unione europea e l'allargamento ad EstGiuseppe D'Amato — Greco & Greco — 2004
  63. 63inlineGiuseppe D'Amato, "L'EuroSogno ed i nuovi Muri ad Est. L'Unione europea e la dimensione orientale" The EuroDream and the New Walls to the East. Greco&Greco, Milan, 2008
  64. 64webCitizens of Bulgaria and Romania receive full rights on the EU labour marketTomasz Dąborowski — 8 January 2014
  65. 65webEuropean Commission – Enlargement – Potential candidates – Enlargement
  66. 66webGrondwettelijke aspecten: Territoriale werking / Antillen
  67. 67web361 – An evaluation of the EU's Fifth Enlargement With special focus on Bulgaria & RomaniaEuropean Commission — 3 June 2009
  68. 68webPROTOCOL No 1 : ON AMENDMENTS TO THE STATUTE OF THE EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANKEuropean Parliament
  69. 69webEUROPEAN COUNCIL DECISION of 29 October 2010 amending the status with regard to the European Union of the island of Saint-Barthélemy
  70. 70webHomeEuropa (web portal)
  71. 71webEuropean Council President welcomes CroatiaGovernment of the Republic Croatia
  72. 72webRECENT ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENTS IN EU CANDIDATE COUNTRIESEuropa (web portal)
  73. 73webEU welcomes Croatia's 'historic moment' on eve of entry
  74. 74webEUROPEAN COUNCIL DECISION of 11 July 2012 amending the status of Mayotte with regard to the European Union
  75. 75webSixteenth meeting of the Accession Conference with Montenegro at Ministerial level (press release by the Council of the EU)Council of the European Union — 26 June 2024
  76. 76webPresident Radev: Bulgaria Supports Montenegro's European IntegrationTatiana Marinova et al. — 17 June 2024
  77. 77webPress conference - Part 2 - Preliminary remarks by Milojko Spajić, Prime Minister of Montenegro, during the press conference following the EU-Montenegro Intergovernmental Conference on 16 December 2024 in BrusselsMilojko Spajić — 16 December 2024
  78. 78webStrategy for the Western Balkans6 February 2018
  79. 79webEU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia17 May 2018
  80. 80newsBalkans Labeled 'Partners' Instead of 'States' for Sofia SummitDimitrov Martin — 23 April 2018
  81. 81newsSpeech by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini at the European Parliament Plenary Session on the Western Balkan Strategy6 February 2018
  82. 82newsUkraine wants to join the EU. Here's how that would workRachel Treisman — 28 February 2022
  83. 83web'New reality' prompts Georgia's urgent application to join EU
  84. 84webMaia Sandu a semnat cererea de aderare a Republicii Moldova la Uniunea Europeană3 March 2022
  85. 85newsEuropean Parliament recommends giving Ukraine EU candidate status1 March 2022
  86. 86newsEuropean Commission backs Ukraine for EU candidate statusAl Jazeera — 17 June 2022
  87. 87webOpinion on the EU membership application by GeorgiaEuropean Commission — 17 June 2022
  88. 88webEU to begin Ukraine accession negotiations, says Michel14 December 2023
  89. 89webEU halts Georgia's accession to the bloc, freezes aid over much-criticized law9 July 2024
  90. 90webJoint Motion for a Resolution on closer ties between the EU and Armenia and the need for a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia | RC-B9-0163/2024 | European Parliament
  91. 91inlineArmenian Parliament Completes Passage Of EU Membership Bill
  92. 92inlineArmenian Parliament Approves Bill On EU Membership
  93. 93webIceland
  94. 94newsIceland drops EU membership bid: 'interests better served outside' union2015-03-12
  95. 95webIceland's Social Democrats Reach Deal for New GovernmentBNN Bloomberg — 2024-12-21
  96. 96webThe Icelandic Government’s proposed referendum on continued EU accession negotiationsGovernment of Iceland — 2026-03-06
  97. 97webHistorical overview2022-07-12
  98. 98webEU and SwitzerlandBritish Embassy, Bern — 4 July 2006