Referendums related to the European Union


This is a list of referendums related to the European Union, or referendums related to the European Communities, which were predecessors of the European Union. Since 1972, a total of 48 referendums have been held by EU member states, candidate states, and their territories, with several additional referendums held in countries outside of the EU. The referendums have been held most commonly on the subject of whether to become a member of European Union as part of the accession process, although the EU does not require any candidate country to hold a referendum to approve membership or as part of treaty ratification. Other EU-related referendums have been held on the adoption of the euro and on participation in other EU-related policies.
The United Kingdom is the only EU member state to have held referendums on continued membership of the European Union and its antecedent organisation, the European Communities. In the first referendum in 1975, continued membership of what was then the European Communities was approved by 67.2% of voters, while in its second referendum in 2016 voters voted by 51.9% to leave the European Union.
Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, voted to leave the EC in a referendum in 1982 by 53% of voters.

Summary

EC enlargement of 1973

In 1972, four countries held referendums on the subject of the 1973 enlargement of the European Communities.
Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom were admitted as members of the EC, acceding on 1 January 1973.

United Kingdom's European Communities membership, 1975

Two referendums were held in EU countries to permit them to ratify the Single European Act.
In 1994, four countries, and one dependency, held referendums on membership of the EU, resulting in the 1995 enlargement of the European Union.
Austria, Sweden, and Finland were admitted as members of the EU, acceding on 1 January 1995.

Treaty of Amsterdam, 1998

Two countries held referendums on the ratification of the treaty of Amsterdam.
The 2004 enlargement of the European Union involved ten candidate states, eight from Central and Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean islands of Malta and Cyprus. In 2003, referendums on joining the EU were held in all these nations except Cyprus.
Since the results were in favourable in all cases, all ten candidate countries were admitted as members of the EU, acceding on 1 May 2004.

Euro

Denmark and the United Kingdom received opt-outs from the Maastricht Treaty and do not have to join the euro unless they choose to do so; Sweden has not received an opt-out, yet deliberately does not live up to the requirements for joining for now. Two referendums have been held on the issue up to now, both of which rejected accession.
Several member states used or intended to use referendums to ratify the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.
Referendums were planned, but not held, in:
Only one member state, Ireland, obliged by their constitution, decided on ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon through a referendum.
Croatia was admitted as a member of the EU, acceding on 1 July 2013.

European Fiscal Compact, 2012

A referendum was held in San Marino on whether the country should submit an application to join the European Union as a full member state.
The Unified Patent Court is a proposed court between several EU member states, that, inter alia, is to be constituted for litigation related to the European Union patent.
Countries which seek to join the European Union in the future may hold a referendum as part of the accession process. In addition, Article 88-5 of the Constitution of France requires a referendum there to ratify any future accession treaty. Politicians in other existing members have proposed referendums in their states, particularly with reference to the accession of Turkey.
There is discussion amongst eurosceptic parties and movements across the EU to hold their own referendums on EU membership since the referendum in the UK.

Agreements between Switzerland and the EU