Enlargement of the European Union

On 1st January 2007 two new countries, Bulgaria and Romania, joined the European Union.

The enlargement to include Bulgaria (population of 8 million) and Romania (population of 22.4 million) came nearly three years after ten states joined making the EU the biggest single market in the world. It completes a process of accession which started in 1994-5 following the collapse of Communism and dissolution of the USSR.

The ten Members States which joined in 2004 are Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia. With the new enlargement, the EU will be comprised of 27 Member States.

Turkey and Croatia harbour hopes to join later on.

In order to join the Union, the countries have fulfilled economic and political conditions. They are:
- stable democracies, respecting human rights, the rule of law, and the protection of minorities;
- functioning market economies;
- adopting the common rules, standards and policies that make up the body of EU law.

The Accession of ten new Member States on 1st May 2004 was an historic moment bringing countries from the former Soviet bloc into the family of nations of Europe.

To view pictures of the flag-raising ceremony at the European Parliament click here.

For more information about EU enlargement and profiles of the Accession States, click here.

The flags of member countries flying outside the European Parliament.