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Geographically, historically and culturally, Slovenia has always been a European country. After the independence the new Slovenian Government recognised EU membership as one of the country's priorities. Membership negotiations began in March 1998 and were concluded in December 2002. A referendum was held in Slovenia on 23 March 2003, at which 89% voted in favour of the country entering the EU. Slovenia joined the European Union on 1st May 2004, together with Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and Slovakia. Slovenia has one Commissioner in the European Commission, and seven Slovenian parliamentarians were elected to the European parliament at the elections on 13 June 2004.
EU membership has had important economic benefits: macro-economic stability, lower inflation, speedier restructuring and modernisation of companies, a stable economic environment, a boost in foreign investments, better opportunities to access new technologies and knowledge, and greater consumer choice.
In the political sense, EU membership meant greater security and stability for a small country, as well as a stronger position in the international community, enabling it to take part in European policy-making and formulating Europe's future image.
On 1 January 2007 Slovenia became the 13th member of the Eurozone (the first in the 2004 enlargement wave). Although the Slovenes were fond of their colourful 'tolar', they have quickly grown accustomed to the euro. After all, they were familiar with it from doing business and travelling in the established Eurozone members.
Slovenia is due to enter the Schengen area on December 21 2007. Once the borders with Italy, Austria and Hungary are done away with, the final physical barrier with the rest of the EU will disappear.
Slovenes in EU institutions
Slovenia has 4 of the 345 votes in the European Council, and since the elections of 13 June 2004, it has had 7 of a total of 732 representatives at the EU Parliament. Janez Potočnik became Slovenia's first European Commissioner, and is responsible for science and research. There are numerous other Slovenes working at EU institutions, many of them in senior positions, including Verica Trstenjak, Advocate-General at the Court of Justice of the European Communities in Luxembourg, Marko Ilešič as a judge at the Court of Justice of the European Communities in Luxembourg, Ivan Bizjak as Director-General at the Directorate-General for Justice and Home Affairs at the General-Secretariat of the Council of the European Union, and many others.