2004 was a transformative year in the history of the European Union, with the single largest expansion of the bloc enlarging membership to 25 states, at the time. For the majority of the 10 newcomers - mostly central and eastern European nations - it was a political and social revolution, as they emerged from decades of communist rule and Moscow influence to a future aligned to Western European democracy. It also opened the door to the creation of thousands of businesses in the new EU members.
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Green shoots of growth
Among those taking advantage of the new opportunities was MADARA Cosmetics, an organic skincare and makeup producer based in Latvia.
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