OUR WAY TO FREEDOM

POLISH POLISH WAY WAY

TO NATO TO NATO AND EUAND EU

From totalitarianismto democracy

POLAND JOINS NATO

The dissolution of the Warsaw Pact in 1991 and a positive response from NATO member states made Poland’s accession to the North Atlantic Alliance become a reality. The year 1994 marked a very important stage in the negotiation process, i.e. the drafting of the Partnership for Peace programme which became an important instrument preparing Poland’s accession to NATO. As a result, in 1997 NATO heads of state and government in Madrid decided to officially invite Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary to join the organisation.

The official signing of Poland’s, the Czech Republic’s and Hungary’s accession protocols, ratified by the then member states, took place on 16 December 1997 in Brussels.

The last stage of the ratification process consisted in delivering to the United States (depositary of the Treaty) the so-called accession instrument. The ceremony was held on 12 March 1999 in Independence, Missouri. The then Foreign Minister of the Republic of Poland Bronisław Geremek officially confirmed Poland’s accession to NATO by presenting Secretary of State Madeleine Albright with Poland’s act of accession to the North Atlantic Alliance.

POLAND JOINS NATO

POLISH ACCESSION TO EU

Accession of Poland to the European Union took place in May 2004. Poland had been negotiating with the EU since 1989.

With the fall of communism in 1989/1990 in Poland, Poland embarked on a series of reforms and changes in foreign policy, intending to join the EU and NATO. On 19 September 1989 Poland signed the agreement for trade and trade co-operation with the (then) European Community (EC). Polish intention to join the EU was expressed by Polish Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki in his speech in the European Parliament in February 1990 and in June 1991 by Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Krzysztof Skubiszewski in Sejm(Polish Parliament).

On 19 May 1990 Poland started a procedure to begin negotiations for an association agreement and the negotiations officially began in December 1990. About a year later, on 16 December 1991 the European Union Association Agreement was signed by Poland. The Agreement came into force on 1 February 1994 (its III part on the mutual trade relations came into force earlier on 1 March 1992).

POLISH ACCESSION TO EU

As a result of diplomatic interventions by the central European states of the Visegrád group, the European Council decided at its Copenhagen summit in June 1993 that: "the associate member states from Central and Eastern Europe, if they so wish, will become members of the EU. To achieve this, however, they must fulfil the appropriate conditions." Those conditions (known as the Copenhagen criteria, or simply, membership criteria) were:•1. That candidate countries achieve stable institutions that guarantee democracy, legality, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities.•2. That candidate countries have a working market economy, capable of competing effectively on EU markets.•3. That candidate countries are capable of accepting all the membership responsibilities, political, economic and monetary.

At the Luxembourg summit in 1997, the EU accepted the Commission's opinion to invited (Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Estonia and Cyprus) to start talks on their accession to the EU. The negotiation process started on 31 March 1998. Poland finished the accession negotiations in December 2002. Then, the Accession Treaty was signed in Athens on 16 April 2003 (Treaty of Accession 2003). After the ratification of that Treaty in the Polish European Union membership referendum, 2003, Poland and other 9 countries became the members of EU on 1 May 2004.

POLISH ACCESSION TO EU

POLAND JOINS SCHENGEN AS BORDER

In 1985 The Schengen Agreement was signed by five countries which were then part of the European Community. The Schengen Area existed outside the structure of the EC. In 1990 the Schengen Convention, which proposed the abolition of internal borders and a common visa policy was signed. The rules and agreements existed then entirely outside of the European Union. This led to the creation of Schengen Area in March 1995. More and more EU member states joined the Schengen Area, which resulted in its incorporation in the European Union structures.

The Schengen Area consists of 26 countries; some states are associated with The Schengen Area, benefiting from the opportunities that the Schengen Area offers.

The Schengen Area allows citizens of countries belonging to it free travel as a result of eliminated border controls between member states. There are also stricter controls on the borders with non-Schengen states to protect the interests of The Schengen countries. There is free movement of goods, information, money and people, thus encouraging cooperation within the Schengen Area.

Poland joined the Schengen Area on 21 December 2007 together with The Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. 

POLAND JOINS SCHENGEN AS BORDER

POLISH PRESIDENCY IN THE EU

Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union was a period of time when Poland led the Council of the European Union. Between the 1July 2011 and 31 December 2011Poland for the first time took over the presidency of the European Union Council. Fulfilling the functions of presidency of the EU Council was the result of the Polish EU membership and its obligations. 

POLAND IN NATO OPERATIONS NOW

Poland perceives the Alliance as significant forum of dialogue and consultations in transatlantic relations, within “Partnership for Peace” program and in special relations with Russia and Ukraine. Poland also supports further NATO enlargement. Stabilisation activities carried out in different regions of the world show the role of the Alliance in international security.

Poland participates in all the most important NATO operations: in Afghanistan (ISAF), Kosovo (KFOR), Iraq (training mission NTM-I) and in the Mediterranean Sea (Active Endeavour). At the moment engagement in Afghanistan is a priority for Poland. Almost 2000 soldiers are deployed there. It is the first NATO operation of this kind. It requires performing various military and civilian tasks, aiming at ensuring security and stability as well as gradual reconstruction of the country. That is why it is very important for NATO’s role in the future. 

POLAND IN NATO OPERATIONS NOW

IMPORTANT POLISH MEMBERS OF THE EU PARLIAMENT

• Janusz Lewandowski is the European Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget.

• Jarosław Pietras is the General Director of the Council of the European Union.

• Jerzy Plewa is the General Director of the Directorate for Agriculture in the EC.

• Marek Belka is a member of the General Council of the European Central Bank.

• Marek Safjan is the Judge of the Court of Justice.

• Irena Wiszniewska-Białecka is the Judge of the Court of First Instance.

• Augustyn Kubik is the Auditor of the Court of Auditors.

• Irena Boruta is the Judge of the Civil Service Tribunal.