European Union is the result of cooperation and integration process started in 1951 by six European countries – Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and Holland.
After five accession stages (1973 – Denmark, Ireland and Great Britain, 1981 – Greece, 1986 – Spain and Portugal, 1995 – Austria, Finland and Sweden, 2004 – Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary), the European Union has now 25 Member Countries and prepares for the sixth enlargement concerning the inclusion of new members in the stable and prosperous European zone.
Issue date: 2005-04-25