On 13 October 1995, Guntis Ulmanis and Maris Gailis, respectively President and Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia, forward to Javier Solana, Spanish Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Union (EU), a letter in which they officially apply for Latvia’s accession to the EU.

On 22 May 1997, at the Pro Baltica Forum, Valdis Birkavs, Latvian Foreign Minister, delivers an address in which he emphasises the importance of European integration for his country.

On 20 November 1997, the Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian Heads of Government adopt a joint resolution on the strengthening of their cooperation in the field of justice and home affairs (JHA).

In 1997, in a memorandum, the Latvian Government outlines the implications of the process leading to the accession of Latvia to the European Union and emphasises the efforts made by the country to comply with the Community acquis.

On 23 February 1998, a press release outlines the main decisions adopted at the first meeting of the EU–Latvia Association Council, held in Brussels.

On 29 April 1998, at the Institute for Foreign Affairs in Rome, Guntis Ulmanis, President of the Republic of Latvia, delivers an address in which he emphasises the importance of his country’s accession to the European Union.

On 7 May 1998, during his visit to the University of Tartu, Valdis Birkavs, Latvian Minister for Foreign Affairs, delivers an address on the challenges of and the potential role of the Baltic States in the European Union enlargement process.

On 23 September 1998, the Latvian Government sets out its position on the enlargement of the European Union and emphasises the country’s commitment to comply with the accession criteria.

In 1999, in an interview granted to the French journalPolitique internationale, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, President of the Republic of Latvia, comments on the process for her country’s accession to the European Union.

On 24 January 2000, Indulis Berzins, Latvian Foreign Minister, delivers an address at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London in which he emphasises the implications of Latvia’s accession to the European Union.

On 15 February 2000, at the opening of the negotiations for Latvia’s accession to the European Union held in Brussels, Indulis Berzins, Latvian Foreign Minister, outlines his country’s guiding objectives.

Le 29 juillet 2000, le quotidien français Le Figaro pointe une série de raisons qui motivent la Lettonie à vouloir adhérer à l'Union européenne.

On 18 October 2000, the French daily newspaper Le Monde outlines the issues involved in Latvia’s accession to the European Union, with particular regard to its position vis-à-vis Russia.

On 12 December 2002, the Heads of State or Government of the Fifteen, meeting at the Copenhagen European Council, reach a political agreement on the accession of ten new Member States to the European Union on 1 May 2004. From left to right: Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, President of the Republic of Latvia, and Einars Repše, Latvian Prime Minister.

On 16 April 2003, in Athens, the President of Latvia, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, and her Prime Minister, Einars Repše, sign the Treaty of Accession of Latvia to the European Union.

On 20 September 2003, in the referendum held in Latvia on the country’s accession to the European Union, the Latvian people vote overwhelmingly (67 %) in favour of accession. The turnout in the referendum is 73 %. From left to right: Maris Gailis, Valdis Birkvas, Andris Berzins and Ivars Godmanis, all four former Latvian Prime Ministers.

On 20 September 2003, in a referendum held in Latvia on the country’s accession to the European Union, the Latvian people vote overwhelmingly in favour of accession (67 %). The turnout in the referendum is 73 %. The day after the vote, Latvians celebrate the victory of the ‘Yes’ vote on the streets of Riga.