And the two processes did develop in parallel, in a balanced and harmonious manner, at least until the changeover to the single currency, even though every phase of enlargement was accompanied by a period of intense debate on the Union’s internal rules.
This drew European governments’ attention away from the outside world, preventing the EU from playing a significant role on the global political and economic scene. But after the break-up of the Soviet bloc and the creation of the euro, this parallel progress came to an end.