European media reported that in recent days, EU has had a colourful performance to celebrate an important event in the bloc's development process, which is the 20th anniversary of the EU's largest expansion in history. EU buildings in Brussels (Belgium), Strasbourg (France), and Luxembourg have been lit up with yellow and blue lights, the colours of the EU flag, and hung the slogan of “20 years together” the emphasise the message of unity.
20 years ago, the accession to the EU from Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia on May 1, 2004 was described by the media as a “Big Bang” enlargement, bringing the EU from a bloc of 15 members to one of 25 members. Currently, with 27 members, the EU has become one of the largest common markets in the world. According to Euronews, the countries that joined the EU in 2004 have so far achieved incredible economic growth. For example, the economies of Poland and Malta have more than doubled in size, while Slovakia has grown by 80%.
Since the bloc's expansion in 2004, 26 million new jobs have been created across the EU, including 6 million jobs in 10 new member states. Over the past 20 years, more than 2.7 million people from these 10 countries have taken up the opportunities to study and teach abroad through the Erasmus+ programme. The addition of new members has helped strengthen the EU's economic power globally. A larger coalition has enhanced Europe's role as a major humanitarian donor. Furthermore, 9 out of 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004 are fully part of Schengen — the world's largest free travel area.
Twenty years after 10 Central and Eastern European countries joined the EU, it is clear enlargement was the right move “both geopolitically and economically.” This event made the EU a stronger global player.
EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis
EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told Politico that 20 years after 10 Central and Eastern European countries joined the EU, it is clear enlargement was the right move “both geopolitically and economically.” This event made the EU a stronger global player.
However, 20 years since this expansion, the EU is facing many difficulties. It is a fact that with more members, finding a common voice and action for the bloc is not easy due to the diversity of views and interests of the members. The uneven economic development of members also leads to disagreements in financial contributions to the EU's common budget. A specific example is that the budget issue sparked fierce debate at the EU Summit in December 2023, when Hungary vetoed 50 billion EUR in aid to Ukraine.
This made it impossible for the EU to reach a consensus on the bloc's budget plan and forced the bloc to meet again in early 2024 to resolve the deadlock. The rise of nationalism and populism in many EU countries also threatens the bloc's core values. The challenges related to climate change, migration, and security are controversial and can weaken the spirit of unity within the bloc.
Emphasising the great benefits that the EU received from the bloc's expansion in 2004, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen affirmed the EU's determination to continue expanding and reforming. She stressed that the Western Balkans are inching closer than ever to the EU, and that the EU made the historic decision to officially conduct negotiations on the admission of Ukraine and Moldova. Observers say that in the current context, the EU's efforts to expand the bloc are bound to encounter many barriers.
