2004 enlargement: facts and figures
1 May 2004 was a historic milestone marking the unification of Europe after decades of division. On that day, 10 countries joined the EU: Czechia, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia ('EU10'). This was the biggest enlargement of the EU ever, both in terms of people and number of countries.
In the twenty years since then, it has also brought a wide range of significant benefits and impressive economic growth to the new members and the EU as a whole.
How did the EU change in 2004?
Before the 2004 enlargement, the EU consisted of 15 countries, with a total population of almost 385 million and a share of global gross domestic product (GDP) based on purchasing power parities amounting to 19.3%.
The GDP is the most common measure for the size of an economy that measures the value added through a production of goods and services during a specific period. Purchasing power parities are indicators of price level differences across countries that allows better comparability of actual living standards.
On 1 May 2004, the enlargement integrated over 74 million citizens into the EU and shifted its external borders significantly eastward. The EU now had 25 member states, close to 459 million citizens, and a share of over 21% of global GDP (based on purchasing power parities).
The EU in 2004
Hover over the map to see accession years, population and GDP per capita in € of the EU member states in 2004.
Map of the EU in 2004, highlighting the 10 countries that joined on 1 May 2004: Czechia, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.
How did the newcomers benefit?
20 years into their EU membership, the EU10 countries' economies have grown significantly, even though the EU as a whole has been through a period of economic crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past two decades, the EU10 countries have developed much faster than the EU average.
In terms of GDP per capita expressed in purchasing power standard (PPS), the performance of these ten countries is even more spectacular. Most of them have managed to more than double their GDP per capita. PPS converts the value to take into account different prices of the same products in various countries.
Closing the gap: evolution of GDP per capita
This chart compares the values and yearly growth rate of both GDP per capita in € and GDP per capita expressed in purchasing power standards of the 10 countries that joined in 2004 and the EU average. Use the filter box to select specific countries or to change the type of comparison between growth or values.
Line chart comparing the values and yearly growth rate of both GDP per capita and purchasing power adjusted GDP per capita of the 10 countries that joined in 2004 and the EU27 average. The chart shows that the growth rate of GDP per capita of all 10 countries that joined in 2004 was higher than EU average. In terms of values, the gap between the EU average and the EU10 has narrowed.
The GDP per capita (in PPS) of the EU10 grew from 59% of the EU27 average in 2004 to 81% of the EU27 average in 2022.
Narrowed income gap
The income gap between pre- and post-2004 EU countries also narrowed.
This chart shows how income in the EU10 countries changed between 2005 and 2022 and provides a comparison to the EU27 average in 2022. Income is measured in PPS, which allows better comparability of actual living standards. Theoretically, one PPS can buy the same amount of goods and services in each country.
An arrow plot chart that shows income for the EU10 countries in 2005 and 2022. The chart shows that, in all 10 countries that joined the EU in 2004, the mean equivalised net income increased significantly. In some cases, for example in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, it more than tripled. The gap between the EU27 average and EU10 narrowed significantly in two countries (Cyprus and Malta) reaching an income level above the EU27 average.
How did the EU as a whole benefit?
For the pre-2004 member states, the 2004 enlargement brought significant trade and investment opportunities. With 10 new EU members, the single market alone gained over 74 million potential new consumers.
Trade exchanges between pre-2004 EU countries and the 10 new countries have increased more than fivefold since the year 2000. While trade was already rapidly growing before enlargement, the pace of growth increased notably when the 10 newcomers joined the EU single market.
Trade evolution
This chart shows how trade between pre- and post- 2004 enlargement countries grew since 2000. The year 2000 is treated as a base year (a value to which we compare) and the line shows the yearly percentage change. To compare the change expressed in values, switch type in the box on top of the chart.
Line chart comparing trade:
- EU14: among EU member states prior to the 2004 enlargement, except for the United Kingdom for statistical reasons.
- Between EU14 and the 10 new countries.
1
In terms of values, the trade exchanges between the 2004 enlargement countries and the previous countries is considerably smaller than between pre-2004 members only.
EU14 is defined as all member states before the 2004 enlargement, excluding the United Kingdom. This is to make trade figures easier to compare in the long-term, including after the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the EU ('Brexit').
Seneste gennemgang: 30. januar 2025