Unit 4 Business Environment - The importance of international trade
Enlargement of EU
The European Union started off as six countries, as of 2007 there are now 27 members.
The first six were France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Italy.
In 1973, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark joined the EU. Norway was going to join, but before they did they had a referendum and the vote was a resounding no.
In 1981, Greece joined.
In 1985 the EU expanded once more with Spain and Portugal. Having turned to democracy from dictatorship, these countries fulfilled the entry criteria for the EU. In Spain for example, the dictator Franco had ruled the country for many years, following his death, Spain became a democracy and this allowed them to join the EU.
1990 saw the unification of Germany and the former East Germany became part of the EU by becoming part of Germany.
1995 the EU expanded once more, this time Austria, Sweden and Finland joined. Once more Norway said no.
The EU became even bigger in 2004 with the influx of ten new countries: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovak Republic and Slovenia.
2006 saw another two countries join, Bulgaria and Romania.
Links
European Union Member States - Wikipedia Entry
Romania and Bulgaria join the EU
Romania and Bulgaria are celebrating their entry into the European Union at midnight on New Year's Day with rock music and traditional dancing.
