The open economic space and the principle of solidarity helped ensure that economically less developed countries that joined the European Economic Community and, later, the European Union, progressed at an astonishing pace, enhancing the living standards of their peoples. Nowadays, indeed, instead of deepening disparities in standards of living in Europe, which was the historic norm, differences are actually blurring as the quality of life everywhere in Europe rises.
简单地说，欧洲一体化的理念改变了欧洲大陆。开放的经济空间和团结的原则确保了那些加入欧共体，而后再加入欧盟的经济较不发达的欧洲国家飞速发展，不断提高其人民的生活水平。确实，在现今的欧洲，随着各国人民生活质量的全面提高，生活水平的差距日渐缩小。不断扩大的生活水平差距作为曾经一度的历史模式已不复存在。