Alargamento da União Europeia aos países da Europa Central e Oriental: estudo de caso da Estônia e da Romênia, de 1998 até 2007

Abstract

Regional integration blocks have an important role in international relations and the European Union is an example of an expressive development and visibility. Mainly due to its territorial extension, population and institutionalization acquired. The European Union has undergone several expansions, since its beginning with the European Coal and Steel Community. However, it was in 2004 that the biggest enlargement took place. The accession countries of Central and Eastern Europe to the European Union brought benefits to European integration bloc and also to the new Member States, as well as political and economic challenges. To become a Member State, a candidate country must meet various political and economic criteria and align its legislation and institutions to European Union regulation. That is what Estonia and Romania, among others, made from its official application to join, in fact, the European Union in 2004 and 2007, respectively.