A year before, on June 7-8 2003, an accession referendum was held, in which 77.45% of Poles voted in favour of membership in the European Union.

The first step was the signing of the Europe Agreement establishing an Association between Poland and the European Community and its Member States on December 16 1991. A symbolic moment was the Polish government’s formal application for membership of the European Union on April 8 1994 in Athens. Four years later, proper accession negotiations with the EU began.

Poland is the most populous and largest country with regard to area to join the EU since 2004. Within the EU, the Polish economy is the 8th largest economy and is also one of the fastest growing.

Poland is an active and important member of the European Union, taking part in the most important debates in the EU forum on the future of the EU, migration, climate and economic policy.

In 2017 celebrations marked the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which gave birth to the European Union.

In a fast-changing world, in a situation where the UK is leaving the European Union, Poland is seeking a broad debate on reform of the European Union. “The priority underpinning the actions of our government is to repair the European Union,” Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said in his speech to the Sejm of the Republic of Poland on February 9.