This thesis investigates the reinterpretation of neutrality in Austria, Sweden and Finland in the context of European norms when they applied for European Community membership until 1995 when they acceded to the European Union. The norms in question refer to peace, democracy, liberty, human rights and rule of law. A method of content analysis is used to uncovered the specific content of neutrality in each case study to find both security and identity dimensions of the concept. This is then collated with the domestic political debates in those countries to answer the research question. According to the findings, it is the Austrian neutrality that demonstrated the absorption of European norms into itself, while its Swedish and Finnish counterparts, albeit for different reasons, were antithetical to the absorption.This thesis investigates the reinterpretation of neutrality in Austria, Sweden and Finland in the context of European norms when they applied for European Community membership until 1995 when they acceded to the European Union. The norms in question refer to peace, democracy, liberty, human rights and rule of law. A method of content analysis is used to uncovered the specific content of neutrality in each case study to find both security and identity dimensions of the concept. This is then collated with the domestic political debates in those countries to answer the research question. According to the findings, it is the Austrian neutrality that demonstrated the absorption of European norms into itself, while its Swedish and Finnish counterparts, albeit for different reasons, were antithetical to the absorption.