Brussels – The history of the European Union also includes some examples of failed EU enlargements, many of which are often forgotten.
Greenland and the United Kingdom are the only two members to have withdrawn from the EU, in 1985 and 2020, respectively.
Switzerland applied for membership in 1992. However, its application never progressed to negotiations: it was immediately frozen following a 1992 popular referendum and officially withdrawn in 2016.
Iceland applied for EU membership in 2009 and began accession negotiations the following year. However, following the 2013 general elections, Reykjavík froze the negotiations. In 2015, the government sent a letter requesting that the EU no longer consider Iceland as an applicant country.
Norway applied for membership in 1967, and entered accession negotiations. However, popular referendums rejected EU membership twice, in 1972 and 1994, leaving Oslo’s application frozen.
Morocco applied for membership in 1967. The application was immediately rejected because Morocco is not considered a ‘European country’ under the geographic criterion for membership, which was established in the Treaty of Rome and later included in the Copenhagen criteria.
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