The expanded EU

摘要

The dream finally came true with central and east European countries joining the European Union last year. After over forty years of Soviet Velvet occupation' Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have joined the EU. Although celebrated in all new member states with fireworks and much rejoicing, 1st May 2004 did not bring any immediate or visible changes in the everyday life of the average citizen. However, after five months in the extended EU some changes have occurred and everybody hopes further positive changes will follow. The new member states joined the EU with out-dated economies and living standards reaching only between 40-50% of the average across the rest of Europe. Some twenty to thirty years will be needed for living standards across the whole of the EU to become roughly the same.