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Today the European Union [went from 15 member countries to 25](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3675801.stm), and with a new combined population of 455 million people stands as the world’s largest trading bloc.

Today the European Union went from 15 member countries to 25, and with a new combined population of 455 million people stands as the world’s largest trading bloc.

It will be very interesting to see how this plays out, with the newly admitted countries in general having poorer economies than the older members, as well as in some cases severe hangovers from the Communist Era.

Hopefully, the tide will rise all around.

For Sweden, of course, this doesn’t matter all that much since its populace made the–in my humble opinion–huge mistake of giving the finger to the European Union.

Posted Saturday, 01 May, 2004 by Nic Lindh

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