The 1995 enlargement of the European Union: The accession of Finland and Sweden

Tutkimus 04-11-2015

This year, Finland and Sweden, like Austria, celebrate the twentieth anniversary of their accession to the European Union. This historical study focuses specifically on the entry into the Union of the first two countries. Distinct economic and social policies, as well as issues of neutrality during the Cold War, had kept the two Nordic countries from developing closer relations with the European Community. However, economic and geopolitical changes allowed this situation to evolve into a deeper and mutually beneficial relationship. This is the latest study in the European Union History Series, which is primarily based on documents preserved in and made available to the public by the Historical Archives of the Parliament and the archives of other EU institutions.