History of the EU

By Dionysia Balafa

  • Schuman Declaration

    With the Monnet Plan as inspiration, Robert Schuman, the French Foreign Minister, makes a statement proposing the alignment of French and German production of steel and coal under the same High Authority. Other European countries could join. By creating common economic interests, this served as a means of pacifying the relationships between Germany and France as well as fortifying these industries, important for the creation of a " federation of Europe".

  • Establishment of ECSC

    The Treaty of Paris is signed, establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), including Belgium, West Germany, France, Luxembourg, Italy and the Netherlands. The Treaty came into force in 1952, and expired in 2002.

  • European Court of Justice

    The European Court of Justice comes into existence to interpret the Treaty of Rome and rule in disputes over Community decisions.

  • Treaty of Rome

    While protests in Hungary against the Communist regime are put down by Soviet tanks in 1956, the treaties of Rome are signed, setting up the European Economic Community EEC and the European Atomic Energy Community Euratom. As a result a common market and a customs union are created, enabling the free movement of labour, services, goods and capital (under some restrictions).To please France it also promises subsidies to farmers. Euratom's goal is the joint development of nuclear energy.

  • Britain, Denmark and Ireland apply to join the EEC

  • EFTA

    An alternative to the EEC emerges when Austria, Denmark, Norway Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK set up EFTA, the European Free Trade Association. Even though the EFTA promotes free trade, it does not pass domestic legislation, such as tariffs, nor does it operate under a customs union.

  • 'Non' to the UK by Charles de Gaulle

    Concerned by the "Special Relationship" between the UK and the US, as well as the UK's different economic system (deficiency in balance of payments, devaluation of sterling, obtaining cheap food from all parts of the world, "England in effect is insular, she is maritime"), the French President Charles de Gaulle vetoes British membership.

  • Ankara Agreement

    The EU-Turkey Association Agreement aimed to promote a continuous and balanced strengthening of trade and economic relations between the Parties and to establish progressively a customs union through three stages, comprising a preparatory stage of approximately 5 years, the establishment of a customs union and the final stage of integration.

  • Merger Treaty

    The European Communities(ECSE, Euratom, EEC) are merged under a single Commission and a single Council. However, both continue to act in accordance with the rules governing each of the Communities. The Treaty comes into force in 1967.

  • Oil crisis

    The Arab-Israeli war and the oil crisis lead to a recession, shattering the steelmaking and mining industries of Western Europe.

  • Accession of Denmark, Ireland and the UK

    Following De Gaulle's resignation in 1969 and lengthy discussions between the British Prime Minister Edward Heath and French President Georges Pompidou, Britain's accession is allowed, providing that Britain would be a net contributor to the EEC budget, dominated by the Common Agricultural Policy. Denmark and Ireland follow suit after approving referendums without Norway after the Norwegian government lost a national referendum on membership in 1972.

  • Fall of Dictatorships

    The last right-wing dictatorships in Europe come to an end with the overthrow of the Salazar regime in Portugal, the collapse of the Greek Junta in 1973 and the death of General Franco of Spain in 1975.

  • UK referendum

    British referendum shows 67.2 per cent in favour of UK remaining a member of the Community.

  • First direct elections at the European Parliament are held

  • Establishment of European Monetary System

    With the European Monetary Agreement, the EEC members agree to maintain exchange rates fluctuations under 2.25% by introducing the ECU ( European Currency Unit), the Exchange rate Mechanisms, the European Monetary Cooperation Fund and by extending European credit facilities.

  • Greece joins the ECC

  • Dolores Commission and departure of Greenland

    Jacques Dolores, as president of the European Commission, lays down the work for the establishment of a single market, by removing trade barriers in order to overcome the economic stagnation of eurosclerosis.
    Mainly due to disagreements on the Common Fisheries Policy, Greenland votes to leave the EC after receiving home rule status within the Kingdom of Denmark.

  • Accession of Spain and Portugal

  • Schengen Agreement

    The Schengen Agreement, complemented by the 1990 Schengen Convention, leads to the abolition of systematic internal border controls, the gradual removal of border checks and the harmonisation of visa policy.

  • Single European Act

    The revision of the 1957 Rome Treaty leads to the establishment of the "Single Market" and the strengthening the role of the European Parliament by introducing the legislative reforms of the cooperation procedure and by extending Qualified Majority Voting to new areas

  • The UK joins the European Exchange Rate Mechanism

  • Cohesion Policy

    To adapt to the arrival of Greece (1981), Spain and Portugal (1986), the Structural Funds were integrated into an overarching cohesion policy, focusing on the poorest and most backward regions, on multi-annual programming, and the strategic orientation of investments by utilising the involvement of regional and local partners.

  • Fall of Iron Curtain

    The Berlin Wall is pulled down and the border between East and West Germany is opened for the first time in 28 years. This leads to the reunification of Germany, when both East and West Germany are united in October 1990.

  • Maastricht Treaty

    The Maastricht Treaty set the foundation of the European Union's pillar structure which consisted of:
    1.The European Communities pillar(including the European Economic Community, the European Coal and Steel Community, and the European Atomic Energy Community).
    2.The Common Foreign and Security Policy pillar, which took care of foreign policy and military matters.
    3.Justice and Home Affairs pillar It also created a common monetary union, with the establishment of the European Central Bank.

  • Copenhagen Criteria

    The Copenhagen criteria define the essential conditions that all member candidates must satisfy to become a member state. These include:
    1.Stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities;
    2.A functioning market economy and the capacity to cope with competition and market forces;
    3.administrative and institutional capacity to effectively implement the acquis* and ability to take on the obligations of membership.

  • Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden

  • Amsterdam Treaty

    Under the Treaty of Amsterdam, the Maastricht treaty was revised and member states agree to transfer certain powers from national governments to the European Parliament across diverse areas, including legislating on immigration, adopting civil and criminal laws, and enacting foreign and security policy (CFSP), as well as implementing institutional changes for expansion as new member nations join the EU.

  • Fraud in the Commission results in resignation

    The EU faces its darkest hour as revelations of fraud nepotism and mismanagement undermine the commission. All 20 commissioners including President Jacques Santer resign before the parliament sacks them. In September Romano Prodi becomes the new president of the commission promising radical change in the way it is run. Only a handful of the old commissioners are reappointed.

  • Treaty of Nice

    This treaty amended the Maastricht Treaty and the Treaty of Rome by reforming the institutional structure of the European Union to withstand eastward expansion.

  • Introduction of the Euro

    The euro replaces the currency of 12 participating member states: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.

  • Malta, Cyprus, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary join the EU

  • Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe

    The Constitution for Europe would have replaced the existing European Union treaties with a single text, given legal force to the Charter of Fundamental Rights, and expanded Qualified Majority Voting into policy areas which had previously been decided by unanimity among member states. It was signed by representatives of the 25 member states on the 29th of October 2004, but its ratification was rejected by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

  • Accession of Bulgaria and Romania

  • Treaty of Lisbon

    The Treaty incorporated the following important articles:
    Article 18: Established protocol for electing a High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
    Article 21: Detailed global diplomatic policy for the European Union, based on the principles of universal human rights, democracy and development.
    Article 50: Established procedures for a member country to leave the European Union.
    Charter of Fundamental Rights

  • EU, IMF, and the World Bank agree on bailouts for Greece, Portugal and Ireland

  • European Stability Mechanism

    A treaty is signed to establish the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), which will safeguard financial stability to all countries of the eurozone.

  • Accession of Croatia

  • UK holds a Membership Referendum and votes to leave the European Union