| Author (Person) | Davies, Eric | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher | ProQuest Information and Learning | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series Title | In Focus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series Details | 29.9.03 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publication Date | 29/09/2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content Type | News, Overview, Topic Guide | In Focus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
15 September 2003 saw some 66% of Estonia's 880,000 voters take part in the penultimate referendum on EU membership amongst the 10 Acceding States. The people of seven countries had voted prior to the August holiday period: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia. All of the ballots had produced 'yes' votes, confirming the intention of the various governments to take their countries into the European Union on 1 May 2004. Latvians were due to vote the week after Estonians cast their votes. 66.92% of those who voted in Estonia's referendum favoured EU membership; with 33.08% voting against. Estonia was at one time considered to be Eurosceptic, so the 'yes' result - although widely expected by the time of the referendum - was welcomed by the Estonian Government and by the European Commission. A joint statement was issued by Estonia's President, Arnold Rüütel, Prime Minister Juhan Parts, and Chair of the Parliament, Ene Ergma, in which they stated that Estonians 'have chosen steady development and a safe future'. A major argument made by the pro-EU camp was that membership would be good for the country's economy, while a 'no' to membership would damage the significant economic growth experienced since 1995 (GDP has grown by an average of almost 5% per year). The Financial Times reported that some 75% of Estonia's exports are to the EU, and that 80% or so of direct investment in the country comes from current Member States. Those opposed to joining the European Union argued, however, that growth would be harmed by the additional bureaucracy and tax increases which would result from Estonia becoming a Member State. Sovereignty appeared to be a greater issue than in other recent membership referenda. Since falling under the control of the Soviet Union in 1940, Estonia has only been independent for 12 years. 'No' campaigners had expressed concern that the country would be swapping membership of one Union for that of another, and thereby relinquishing its prized sovereignty. Nevertheless, the prospect of being outside the EU, effectively isolated between it and Russia, appeared to weigh heavy in voter's minds. Commenting on the referendum result, the European Commission President, Romano Prodi, said: 'In the dark days of its history, Estonia experienced first-hand what the Iron Curtain did to Europe. Now it can harvest the fruits of a united Europe.' As in other membership ballots during the year, the greatest resistance to joining the EU was found amongst farmers and older people. The BBC reported that small farmers are already suffering as EU quotas force them to 'slash' production; the FT highlighted the irony of Estonia having to re-introduce farm subsidies in line with EU requirements, despite having recently become 'one of the few countries in the world to remove subsidies from agriculture completely.' Further information within European Sources Online
Further information can be seen in these external links: EU Institutions European Commission
News organisations
Eric Davies Background and reporting on the week's main stories in the European Union and the wider Europe. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Countries / Regions | Estonia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
