Poland officially became a member of the European Union on May 1, 2004. As the country's then-President Aleksander Kwaśniewski emphasised at the time - it was the fulfillment of the dreams of many generations of Poles, who have always seen the place of their homeland among democratic and open countries, respecting human rights, building their prosperity on the entrepreneurship and activity of their citizens.
Poland's path to post-war freedom, however, began much earlier. Although left by the West under Moscow's boot in 1945, Poles never reconciled themselves to life behind the Iron Curtain. The birth of "Solidarity" in 1980 was not only yet another protest of the country's society against communist restrictions on political and economic freedoms, but also a voice of rebellion against Poland's position among the Kremlin-steered states. Despite repressions, including 1981 Martial Law, the movement persevered and provided a powerful impetus for achieving systemic transformation not just in Poland, but all across Central and Eastern Europe within a decade.
Poland's 1989 liberation from the Soviet zone of influence, and the country's democratic transformation that followed, allowed it to begin association talks with the then-European Communities. Official negotiations culminated in the signing of the Europe Agreement in December 1991, which entered into force in February 1994. Soon after, Poland initiated its 10-year EU accession process, applying for membership in the bloc and receiving the confirmation of all member states in December 1994.
Pre-accession negotiations covered 30 areas. Particular attention was devoted to access for Poles to European labor markets and agricultural subsidies. The talks were successfully concluded on 13 December 2002, during the EU summit in Copenhagen.
After 22 years in the European Union, all indicators clearly show that Poland's membership has had a decidedly positive impact. Accession not only changed the course of the country's history but also opened a new chapter for millions of Poles, able to freely enjoy previously restricted freedoms - with opening of borders and access to the European labor market among the most noticeable changes.
Since the beginning of membership, Poland's balance of payments with the EU has been positive - and many economic indicators indicate that it was and remains the greatest beneficiary of EU membership among all the countries in the region that joined the Community in 2004 and later.
(mm)
Source: PAP, IAR, sejm.gov.pl, senat.gov.pl