COMMEMORATION - 10 YEARS AFTER THE FIFTH EU ENLARGEMENT IN 2004

EU News 217/2014

Council of the European Union
Brussels, 13 May 2014
9800/14
(OR. en)
PRESSE 289

The Council today commemorated the tenth anniversary of the accession to the European Union in May 2004 of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia: the single largest enlargement in the history of the Union.

The accession of these ten states, part of Europe's shared history, heritage and culture, marked the historic beginning of a new era throughout Europe, during which the Union has expanded from 15 Member States to the present 28. This process has allowed the Union to better realise its objective to build One Europe, underpinned by the ideals of democracy, pluralism, the rule of law, the full respect of human rights and the free market economy.

"It is now difficult to imagine the European family without the 13 members, nearly half of the current 28, that have joined us during the past 10 years", said Mr Evangelos Venizelos, deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs of Greece At the General Affairs Council speeches were delivered by the Hellenic presidency, represented by Mr Evangelos Venizelos, deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs of Greece, Commissioner Siim Kallas, vice president of the European Commission, Mr Vytautas Leškevičius, vice-minister for foreign affairs of Lithuania, and by Mr Paschal Donohoe, minister for European affairs of Ireland.

Source and additional information:
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/genaff/142587.pdf

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