The ETUC welcomed the enlargement of the EU to ten new Member States in May 2004, as well as Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, and Croatia in 2013. The ETUC had already grasped the importance of reuniting Europe and welcomed trade union organisations from the former candidate countries into its own membership.

The ETUC works with these affiliates to build a strong framework for social dialogue, with the aim of promoting workers’ rights, equalising working and living conditions between eastern and western Member States, and encouraging the democratic participation of all citizens. In cooperation with the ITUC Pan-European Regional Council (PERC), it supports and where possible affiliates democratic trade union organisations in the current candidate countries Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey, and potential candidates Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo.