This publication is a result of the CERV research project, (Re)uniting the East and West: Reflections on the 2004 EU enlargement (REWEU), funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) of the European Commission. The project focuses on the commemoration of the 2004 “big bang” EU enlargement at the occasion of its 20th anniversary in May 2024.
Learn more about the project hereavautuu uuteen ikkunaan.
This analysis delves into the Finnish memories and narratives about the EU’s 2004 enlargement by reviewing the media and political debate preceding and following the enlargement wave. The first section looks into the electoral campaigning of Finnish political parties in the 1999 European Parliament (EP) elections. By analysing the election programmes, we aim to understand how the EU’s enlargement was framed and justified by Finnish political actors, and what benefits, risks and costs were associated with it. The second section analyses the coverage of this topic in the Finnish media. It reveals some of the nuances and the practical concerns discussed in the public by politicians and experts as well as the civil society. The third section briefly presents the public support for the 2004 enlargement in Finland based on Eurobarometer data.
