This project is focused on the commemoration of the 2004 “Big Bang” EU enlargement on the occasion of its upcoming 20th anniversary in May 2024, an event which reunited 10 mostly post-communist countries with Western Europe. This event had a positive impact on shaping Europe as we know it today, boosting its security, economic potential, and spreading democracy, good governance and European values across the European continent. However, some of the consequences of the accession of new Member States (economic migration, more difficulties finding consensus in EU institutions) have also been used by politicians in Western Europe to call into question the benefits of the 2004 enlargement (the most radical example being the Brexit campaign). Furthermore, the democratic backsliding and rule of law issues in some new EU Member States in the last years, have given grounds to anti-enlargement narratives also in the political mainstream. On the other hand, due to existing economic differences, sentiments of feeling like “second-class citizens” are still very common in the “new” EU Member States. Doubts about benefits and positive impact of previous EU enlargements on today’s Europe are also negatively impacting the current process of integrating countries of the Western Balkans, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine into the EU. The question of new states joining the EU has become an increasingly polarizing topic among the Member States with the negative narratives dominating the discussions, at the cost of emphasizing the benefits of past enlargements and the importance of the enlargement policy as such. Despite the evident shortcomings and democratic backsliding in some Central-Eastern European countries, this policy remains the best tool the EU has at its disposal to promote democratic transformation and European values in its neighbourhood.

The project aims to commemorate this crucial event of European integration in selected four “old” and four “new” EU Member States (from the EU’s East, West, North, and South) through a variety of activities, to inform citizens of different ages, gender and socio-economic background about the benefits of the 2004 enlargement and engage them in the discussions about its impacts, and to compare the national perceptions and narratives of the event among the involved countries.

The general objectives of the project are thus threefold:

• the commemoration of the 2004 enlargement as a milestone in the process of unification of the European continent;
• increased awareness of EU citizens in involved countries about their common European history and their inclusion as active participants in discussions about crucial aspects of European integration;
• emphasizing of the importance and topicality of EU enlargement and the implicit costs of non-enlargement of the Union.

The specific objectives to be achieved by this project are the following:

• joint commemoration of the event among the public and expert community through public events;
• collection of audio-visual materials and testimonies mapping the recollection and perception of the event by different groups of citizens, public figures and experts;
• comparative analysis of historical memories and narratives surrounding the event in the involved EU countries;
• analysis and infographics on the impacts of 2004 enlargement on the newly acceding states and the EU as a bloc;
• increased knowledgeability and understanding of involved countries’ citizens about the importance and benefits of EU enlargement and the 2004 “Big Bang” enlargement;
• increased awareness and understanding of policymakers in EU institutions and EU Member States about the importance of EU enlargement and the costs of non-enlargement;
• emphasising of the role of women in the 2004 EU enlargement and the impact of the event on position of women in the “new” EU Member States.

We encourage you to explore our website where you’ll find information on our upcoming project activities!