EU timeline

  • End of World War II in Europe

  • European Coal and Steel Community

    On the basis of the Schuman Plan, six countries sign the Treaty of Paris to allow the free movement of steel and coal. In this way, no country alone will be able to manufacture weapons of war to be used against others, as in the past. The six are Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
  • UE flag

    UE flag
    In the EU flag there are 12 golden stars that rapresent the perople of Europe in a circle, symbol of Unity, Solidarity and Harmoning
  • European Economic Community

    The six founding countries extend cooperation to other economic sectors through the Treaty of Rome to have freedom of trade between EU member states
  • Denmark, Ireland and the UK

    Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom join the EEC, which thus increases from six to nine member countries.
  • Greece

    Greece joins the EEC, the tenth Member State of the Community.
  • Portugal and Spain

    Portugal and Spain join the EEC, bringing the number of Member States to 12.
  • Fall of Berlin Wall

    Fall of Berlin Wall
    With the fall of the Berlin Wall that divided East Germany, controlled by the Soviet Union, and West Germany the country is reunified again
  • Treaty of Maastricht

    What until then had been commonly referred to as the EEC (European Economic Community) becomes the European Union (EU)
  • Austria, Finland and Sweden

    Three more states join the EU: Austria, Finland and Sweden, bringing the EU to 15
  • Euro

    Euro
    The single currency, the euro, came into force in 2002. Today 20 countries have adopted this currency and it is called the Eurozone
  • 10 countries and 2 island join the EU

    Ten countries join the EU. They are Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. Cyprus and Malta also enter Europe
  • Bulgaria and Romania

    Bulgaria and Romania join the EU. The number of countries joining the Union rises to 27.
  • Nobel Peace Prize

    Nobel Peace Prize
    The European Union receives the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo. The award recognises the role played by the EU for over sixty years in promoting peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights.
  • Croatia

    Croatia is the latest memeber of EU
  • Brexit Referendum

    Brexit Referendum
    With the Brexit referendum the UK decides to leave the European Union and invokes Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty which gives the right to withdraw from the EU and a period of 2 years to invoke the exit deal.
  • Exit of UK

    Exit of UK
    The United Kingdom officially ceases to be a member state of the European Union.