ABSTRACT
The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of Poland’s historical path to the EU. First, it briefly summarises the motivations behind Poland’s decision to join the EU. Then, it reviews Polish–EU relations from 1990 to 1998 (beginning at the time of the establishment of bilateral relations between the EC and Poland, through the Association Agreement, the Copenhagen Summit of 1993 and the submission of the membership application, to the official opening of negotiations). Even though this book does not focus on the prenegotiations, the early Polish–EU relationship and the prenegotiation period are vital for understanding the future dynamics of the negotiations.
