REVIEW

We are pleased to present the nineteenth issue of 4liberty.eu Review, titled “20 Years in the EU: CEE and Its Path to Progress”. This time, our primary focus is on celebrating 20 years of several CEE states joining the European Union in the 2004 accession.

Time flies. It has already been twenty years since a number of CEE states (the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia) entered the European Union (EU) and became full members. These two decades have been marked by incredible progress – economic, political, and social.

New member states from CEE have come a long way in the last two decades, building upon their competitive advantages, expanding economic freedom and seizing the opportunities of the European Single Market. 

During the past 20 years, the perception of the EU in these countries has shifted many times, creating an ever-changing curve of approval and disapproval that is heavily influenced by governments and the messages they are conveying about the EU.

The journey of CEE countries within the EU has been marked by significant advancements in economic growth, political stabilization, and cultural integration.

It became clear that there is a need for change. Therefore, it is not surprising that the European Parliament realized the extent of the existing problems and called to set up a convention centered around amending the treaties.

Together, the V4 countries are the fifth largest economy in Europe and 12th globally. The region would rank as the 22nd most populous country in the world and 4th in Europe (64 million people) with most people living in Poland (38 million), followed by the Czech Republic (11 million), Hungary (10 million), and Slovakia (5.5 million).

2004 was a historical moment that welcomed Central Europe back after an era of Soviet yoke. The accession required great effort from all parties involved and, despite many obstacles, it was deemed a success. Yet, integration remains incomplete with respect to membership in the Schengen Zone and Euro Area.

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has repeatedly expressed her support for Ukraine and its path to the European Union. However, at the same time, she pointed out how long and difficult this path will be.

After 1989, it has become obvious that the so-called ‘West’, or Europe in general, have had a far greater chance of winning the Cold War. But this prospect was not even properly discussed, let alone expected or predicted by scholars, politicians, and defense strategists on either side of the Iron Curtain.