Enlargement and small states in the European Union

Abstract

The May 2004 enlargement has been unprecedented in various ways. It is the biggest and the most diverse from all previous enlargements, incorporating ten countries that are poorer than the EU 15: only Cyprus and Malta are above the 75% average of EU-25 GDP per capita (although Malta still obtained an Objective One status at least for the next financial perspective 2007-2013). Whereas the EU-15 included five large countries (Germany, France, Italy, UK and Spain), one micro-state (Luxembourg) and nine other countries considered as small and medium-sized states, this enlargement features one large state (Poland), three micro-states (Malta, Cyprus and Estonia), two of which are island states and six other small countries. Furthermore, almost all new small states, but especially the Baltic States and the two Mediterranean islands, are on the periphery of the enlarged European Union.