Timeline: Unit 2 Formulation of the European Union

1945

1945 End of wwII

World War II ends in Europe. Millions of people around the world take to the streets to celebrate ‘Victory in Europe Day’, marking the end of the deadliest military conflict in history in which 60 million people died.

1947

1947 Cold War

Political tensions between eastern and western Europe over ideology, economics and government lead to a ‘Cold War’- fought with proxy wars rather than direct military conflict - that lasts for more than 40 years. Tensions between the two spheres had begun in 1945, but the term ‘Cold War’ was first used in 1947 in a speech by Bernard Baruch, an American Statesman. The expression was then widely used to designate this period in history.

1950

1950 reconciliation

1951

1951 Six countries sign the European coal and steal community

Schuman’s vision starts to take shape when six countries — Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands — sign a treaty to create a European institution that would pool and manage coal and steel production. With these countries deciding together what to do with Europe’s coal and steel, no single nation can build weapons without the other nations knowing about it. Find out more about the visionary leaders who helped create the European Union.

1957

1957 Treatries of Rome 1rt treatry EEC / CAP, 2nd treatry Euraton ECSC / EEC

Building on the success of the coal and steel treaty, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands expand cooperation to other economic sectors. They sign the Treaties of Rome, creating the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the European Economic Community or ‘common market’, allowing people, goods and services to move freely across borders.

1965

1965 ECSC / EEC Euration unity Merger Treatry

1973

1973 UK, Demark and Ireland join the community

Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom join the European Communities, marking the first enlargement. Together with Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, they bring the membership to nine. Following a referendum, Norway decides not to join.

1981

1981 Greece joins

Greece becomes the 10th country to join the European Communities, now known as the European Union.

1986

1986 Spain and Portugal joins

Spain and Portugal join the European Communities, bringing the total number of members to twelve.

1992

1992 European heads of state sing the Maestrich reatry the February 7

1995

1995 Austria, sucedan and Finland join

Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU, increasing its membership to 15.

1997

1997 Treatry of Amsterdam

The Treaty of Amsterdam is signed in the capital of the Netherlands. It prepares the European Union for the arrival of future Member States. From now on, a new Commission president can only be appointed with the approval of the European Parliament.

1999

1999 - 2002 Transition between pésate and euro

Euro notes and coins become the legal currency in 12 EU countries. Printing, minting and distributing them is a major logistical operation. More than 80 billion coins are involved. While euro coins have a common side giving the value, each country has its own design on the other side. Using a Finnish (or any other) euro coin to buy a Madrid metro ticket is something we soon take for granted. 19 countries currently use the euro.

2004

2004 Ten new countries included in the EU

Large parts of eastern and western Europe are united in peace and democracy as 10 new countries join the EU. The addition of Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia brings the total number of Member States to 25. Numerous events take place across Europe to mark this historic enlargement.

2007

2007 Romania and Bulgaria join

Bulgaria and Romania join the European Union, bringing its membership to 27. Irish becomes the 21st oﬃcial language and Bulgarian and Romanian bring the number to 23.