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1 (April 6, 2006)

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                                                                Order Code RS21344
                                                                Updated April 6, 2006



    CRS Report for Congress

                Received through the CRS Web



             European Union Enlargement

                              Kristin Archick
                      Specialist in European Affairs
              Foreign  Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division

Summary


     On May 1, 2004, 10 states joined the European Union (EU), enlarging the Union
 to 25 members. The EU views the enlargement process as a historic opportunity to
 promote stability and prosperity in Europe. In addition to the 10 new members (Cyprus,
 the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and
 Slovenia), Bulgaria and Romania hope to accede to the EU in 2007. Turkey and Croatia
 began accession negotiations in October 2005. Macedonia was named as a candidate
 for EU membership in December 2005. This report will be updated as necessary. For
 additional information, see CRS Report RS21372, The European Union: Questions and
 Answers, by Kristin Archick.


 Background on the European Union

    After World War II, leaders in western Europe and the United States were anxious
to secure long-term peace and stability on the European continent and create a favorable
environment for economic growth and recovery. In 1952, six states - Belgium, the
Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands -
established the European Coal and Steel Community, a single market in these two
industrial sectors that was controlled by an independent supranational authority. In 1958,
the Rome Treaties established the European Economic Community, extending the
common  market to all economic sectors, and the European Atomic Energy Community
to ensure the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. In 1967, these three formations
collectively became known as the European Community (EC).

    The EC first added new members in 1973, with the entry of the United Kingdom,
Ireland, and Denmark. Greece joined in 1981, followed by Spain and Portugal in 1986.
The Single European Act modified the EC Treaties in 1987 by increasing the powers of
the European Parliament and enabling the 1992 single market program to move forward.
At the beginning of 1993, the near completion of the single market brought about the
mostly free movement of goods, services, capital, and people within the EC.


Congressional Research Service + The Library of Congress

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