The Accession of the Neutrals: (Re)Assessing the First Post-Cold War Enlargement of the EU

Abstract

The eroding Cold War order and the prospect of the formation of the European Single Market constituted incentives for the European neutrals Austria, Finland and Sweden to review their integration policies. External factors were reinforced by various national economic and political motivations. Throughout the Cold War, Austria had been the pioneer among the neutrals in aiming at closer relations to the EEC and in July 1989 the Alpine Republic was the first to apply for full EC membership. Sweden followed in 1991. Finland was more cautious and applied in 1992, when the issue of neutrality had lost much of its Cold War explosiveness. Initially, the question of neutrality was stalling the Austrian membership-bid, but soon the Commission’s preoccupation with the Maastricht Treaty turned out to be the major obstacle for quick entry. Despite being in favour of the economically and politically well-prepared neutrals accession, the Community prioritised the deepening of integration over enlargement. Only when the ratification of the Treaty on the European Union was on track, negotiations started in 1993. Though, every country had specific complicated issues at stake, agreements were reached within a year’s time. In 1994 Austrians, Swedes and Finns overwhelmingly voted in favour of EU membership and their countries joined the EU on 1 January 1995. This chapter (re)assesses the first post-Cold War enlargement of the European Union on the basis of existing scholarship and recently declassified sources.