Enlargement is one of the EU’s most powerful policy tools. The pull of the EU has helped to transform the nations of Central and Eastern Europe into modern, well-functioning democracies. More recently it has inspired far-reaching reforms in the candidate and potential candidate countries. All European citizens benefit from having neighbours that are stable democracies and prosperous market economies. Enlargement is a carefully managed process which aids in the transformation of the countries involved, extending peace, stability, prosperity, democracy, human rights and the rule of law across Europe.

In the beginning, six countries – Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands – founded the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, which was soon followed by the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community in 1957.

Five successful enlargements have followed since then:

• In 1973, Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom joined the European Union.
• In 1981, Greece became a Member State.
• In 1986, Spain and Portugal became members.
• In 1995, Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU.

In 2004, the EU underwent a historic enlargement to incorporate 10 countries from Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean: Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. It was a unique, historic enlargement which signified the re-unification of Europe after decades of division by the Iron Curtain.

The accession of Romania and Bulgaria on January 1st 2007 completed the fifth enlargement of the EU that had started in May 2004. A gradual and carefully managed enlargement policy is in the interest of the EU. Future enlargements will concern the countries of Southeast Europe. These countries are at various stages on their road towards joining the EU.