title: Motives, narratives, and membership realities Lessons from 50 years of EU enlargement
abstract: This briefing explores the motives, narratives, and membership realities of the three states that acceded to the European Communities (EC) in its first enlargement, in 1973: the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Denmark. It argues that, despite the different conditions and context at the time, it is possible to draw lessons from this first enlargement experience on how applicant states can create favourable conditions for their stable long-term integration into the present-day European Union.<br/>Gov
journal: Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen)