3. Enlargements of the EU

Question 1

Which Article of the Lisbon Treaty reveals the process by which states can enter the Union, and what are qualities it mentions an applicant must have

Answer 1

Article 49, ‘promoting European values of Article 2’; human dignity, democracy, equality, the rule of law, human rights, tolerance, pluramism

Question 2

Who joined in the 1973 Enlargement?

Answer 2

United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark (Norway applied but it was voted against by the Norwegian public following concerns about their oil)

Question 3

What was significant about the ‘73 enlargement?

Answer 3

Brought the British economy into the Union

Question 4

Who joined the Union in 1981

Answer 4

Greece after they ended their military dictatorship in ‘74

Question 5

Who joined the European Community in ‘86

Answer 5

Spain and Portugal

Question 6

What are the Copenhagen Conditions?

Answer 6

1. Be democratic with respect for human rights and rule of law
2. Have a viable free market economy and the ability to respond to EU market forces
3. Be able to take on the laws and obligations of the EU

Question 7

Who joined the Community in ‘95?

Answer 7

Austria, Finland and Sweden

Question 8

What was significant about the ‘95 enlargement

Answer 8

Introduced the Nordic bloc

Saw the Copenhagen Conditions in action

Question 9

What does the Convergence Criteria of the Maastricht Treaty allow states to do? What are the conditions?

Answer 9

Allows states to use the Euro
States must meet limits on national budget deficits, public debt, consumer inflation and long-term interest rates
All member states at the time but Greece fit the criteria

Question 10

Who joined the Union in 2004?

Answer 10

Malta, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia

Question 11

Who joined the Union in 2007

Answer 11

Bulgaria and Romania

Question 12

Who joined the Union in 2013

Answer 12

Croatia

Question 13

What is the significance of the 2004, 2007 and 2013 enlargements?

Answer 13

Idea of a Central European identity as both sides of the Iron Curtain came together
Brought massive economic and security benefits to these new entrants
Diluted the power of the Franco-German alliance
Begs the question of whether these nations had fully internalised democracies

Question 14

Who are the current candidate countries?

Answer 14

Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey

Question 15

What’s the process of enlargement?

Answer 15

1. State applies for membership
2. European Council discusses the application
3. State must meet both the conditions of Article 49 (and thus 2) the Copenhagen Criteria
4. Council will then reject the applicant or grant them candidate status
5. Ascension negotiations will begin with the candidate (basically the Commission telling the country what they need to do)
6. The Council will then release and Ascension Treaty that has to be ratified by the applicants Parl. or by referendum Eur. Parl, Eur. Council, Eur. Comm and each member state must also ratify it

Question 16

What are some of the consequences of Enlargement?

Answer 16

Brought on the need for qualified majority voting to eliminate the need for consensus
Increased the range of the freedom of movement
Brings economic growth, it grows the single market, higher living standards, and more competitive markets
Extending EU values, democracy and peace

Enlargement raises the interesting question of where the EU/Europe ends