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Hay & Menon: European Politics

Estonia

After the fall of the communist regime in Estonia, the new government was keen to apply for membership of the EC/EU due to its ability to offer both political and economic stability. Estonia adopted a European Agreement with the EC in June 1995 and made its official application for EU membership in November 1995. It was therefore one of the latest of the CEECs to apply for EU membership. It was, however, one of the first wave of applicant countries to be invited to begin accession talks at the Luxembourg European Council in 1997. On 1 May 2004 Estonia joined the European Union. Estonia, along with the other Baltic countries, is one of the poorer CEECs to have joined the EU in 2004. It has a moderate level of support for the EU amongst its population, with 51% of respondents claiming that Estonia's membership of the EU was a good thing in a Eurobarometer survey conducted in spring 2006 (compared to an average of 55%). Nevertheless, despite this lukewarm support, prior to accession there was strong support for membership, with 67% of voters casting a 'yes' vote in the referendum on accession held on 14 September 2003 (with a turnout of 64%).