Applicant countries

: Group photo: Accession Treaty, Athens, April 2003 (Photo: European Commission)

Countries that have applied to join the European Union.

On 1 May 2004, the EU was enlarged with the following 10 countries: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. From April 2003 these 10 former accession countries were observers, and hence participated, but could not vote, in the meetings of the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.

Romania and Bulgaria entered 1 January 2007.

Turkey, Croatia and Macedonia (FYROM) have also applied for membership. Accession negotiations have started with Turkey and Croatia. Turkey was provided with pre-accession money from 1 January 2004.

Croatia deposited an application for membership in February 2003 and Macedonia (FYROM) applied in March 2004.

Albania and Iceland applied in 2009.

See Art. 49 TEU.

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