The 1995 enlargement of the European Union saw Austria, Finland and Sweden accede to the

European Union (EU). This was the EU's fourth enlargement and came into effect on the 1 January of
that year. All these states were previous members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
and had traditionally been less interested in joining the EU than other European countries

The three states, plus Norway and Switzerland (which never joined due to their referendum results)
began to look at stronger ties with the EU (which was the European Economic Community (EEC)
before 1993) towards the end of the 1980s for three principal reasons: the 1980s economic
downturn in Europe, difficulties for EFTA companies to export to the EU and the end of the Cold War.

After the 1970s Europe experienced a downturn which led to leaders launching of the Single
European Act which set to create a single market by 1992. The effect of this was that EFTA states
found it harder to export to the EEC and businesses (including large EFTA corporations such as Volvo)
wished to relocate within the new single market making the downturn worse for EFTA. EFTA states
began to discuss closer links with the EEC despite its domestic unpopularity.[1]

Finally, Austria, Finland and Sweden were neutral in the Cold War so membership of an organisation
developing a common foreign and security policy would be incompatible with that. As that obstacle
was removed, the desire to pursue membership grew stronger.

On 30 March 1994, accession negotiations concluded with Austria, Sweden, Finland and Norway.
Their accession treaties were signed on 25 June of that year. Each country held referendums on entry
resulting on entry for all except Norway (its second failed referendum);

Sweden - 52.8% in favour (November 13); application submitted in July 1991

Austria, Finland and Sweden became EU members on 1 January 1995.

Sweden held their elections to the European Parliament for its MEPs later that year on 17
September. The following year, Austria held its elections on 13 October and Finland on 20 October

The Swedish Prime Minister, Ingvar Carlsson, said the vote was ``good for Sweden and good for
Europe''. Carl Bildt, the former prime minister who led Sweden's EU negotiations, said he was
delighted. ``It seems as if we succeeded, and people in Sweden decided membership is better than
non-membership,'' he said.

Sweden will be on Britain's side when, as a contributor to European funds, it considers EU decisions
on free trade and budgetary discipline.