The Council Decision of 29 March 1994 concerning the taking of decisions by qualified majority gives effect to the ‘Ioannina Compromise'. This Compromise lays down that, where Members of the Council representing a number close to the blocking minority oppose the taking of a decision by qualified majority, the Council will do its utmost to reach, within a reasonsable period of time, a satisfactory solution that can be adopted by a larger consensus.

On 30 March 1994, during the negotiations for the accession of Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden to the EU, the Council of the European Union comments on the decisions taken regarding the reform of the decision-making procedure in the various European institutions.

In its March 1994 edition, the monthly journal Crocodile compares the outcome of the informal meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Twelve, held in Ioannina on 30 March 1994, with the Luxembourg Compromise of January 1966 concerning voting procedures within the Council.

On 31 March 1994, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports on the progress of negotiations concerning the fourth wave of enlargement of the European Communities and describes the new voting pattern within the Council of Ministers.

On 19 April 1994, the Commission of the European Communities delivers a favourable opinion on the accession of Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden to the European Union.

On 4 May 1994, the European Parliament adopts four legislative resolutions in order to give its assent to the applications submitted by Norway, Austria, Finland and Sweden for accession to the European Union. This is the legislative resolution on Austria's application for accession.

On 16 May 1994, the Council of the European Union agrees to the accession of Norway, Austria, Finland and Sweden to the European Union.

Council Decision of 1 January 1995 amending the Council Decision of 29 March 1994 concerning the taking of decisions by qualified majority by the Council.

On 24 June 1994, in Corfu, the representatives of the Twelve and those of Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden sign their respective Treaties of Accession to the European Union.

At the end of the Corfu European Council held on 24 and 25 June 1994, the Twelve welcome the signing by Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden of the Treaty of Accession to the European Union (EU) and outline the challenges to be overcome by the EU and by its new Member States.

On 24 June 1994, in Corfu, Franz Vranitzky, Chancellor of Austria, signs the Treaty of Accession of his country to the European Union. From left to right: Ulrich Stacher, Director-General of the Federal Chancellery (Prime Minister’s Office) in Vienna, Manfred Scheich, Permanent Representative of Austria to the European Union, Franz Vranitzky, Austrian Federal Chancellor, and Alois Mock, Austrian Foreign Minister.

On 24 June 1994, the first day of the Corfu European Council, (from left to right) Veli Sundbäck, Finnish State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Pertti Salolainen, Finnish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Trade, Esko Aho, Finnish Prime Minister, and Heikki Haavisto, Finnish Foreign Minister, sign Finland’s Treaty of Accession to the European Union.

On 24 June 1994, at the Corfu Summit, the representatives of Sweden sign the Swedish Act of Accession to the European Union (from left to right): Frank Belfrage (Secretary of State for European Affairs), Margaretha af Ugglas (Minister for Foreign Affairs), Carl Bildt (Prime Ministers) and Ulf Dinkelspiel (Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade).

On 24 June 1994, in Corfu, the Heads of State or Government of Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden sign the acts of accession to the European Union of their countries.

In his memoirs, Jacques Delors, former President of the European Commission, refers to the last-minute economic and political difficulties that arose during the negotiations held in 1993 with Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden on accession to the European Union.