Note
The Balkans are still not allowed in the EU since they are still quite corrupt.
The EU was fundamentally created to unite the EU and avoid future wars within, as well as to unanimously benefit all states within.
Foundations
In 1950, the nations of Europe were still struggling to overcome devastation wrought by World War II, which had ended 5 years earlier.
Determined to prevent another such terrible war, European governments concluded that pooling coal and steel production would - in the words of the Declaration - make war and historic rivals France an d Germany “not merely unthinkable, but materially impossible.”
It was thought that merging of economic interests would help raise standards of living and be the first step towards a more united Europe. Membership of the ECSC (European Coal and Steel Committee) was open to other countries.
Timeline
timeline
title The Complete History of the European Union
8 May 1945 : End of WWII in Europe
: Continent devastated; Holocaust ends.
9 May 1950 : The Schuman Declaration
: Proposal to pool coal and steel to make war "unthinkable."
18 April 1951 : European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)
: Signed by "The Six" (DE, FR, IT, NL, BE, LU).
25 March 1957 : Treaties of Rome
: Created the "Common Market" (EEC).
: Benefit: Cheaper goods & economic boost.
: Hostility: Shift toward EU-wide rules.
19 March 1958 : Birth of European Parliament
: First meeting in Strasbourg; Robert Schuman President.
8 April 1965 : Merger Treaty : Combined the executives of the ECSC, EEC, and Euratom.
1 Jan 1973 : First Enlargement
: UK, Ireland, and Denmark join the EEC.
7 June 1979 : First Direct Elections
: Citizens elect MEPs directly for the first time.
1 Jan 1981 : Greece Joins
: The "European family" expands south.
14 June 1985 : Schengen Agreement
: First steps toward passport-free travel.
1 Jan 1986 : Spain & Portugal Join
: Mediterranean expansion continues.
1 July 1987 : Single European Act
: First major change to the Treaty of Rome.
: Goal to create a full "Single Market" by 1992.
: Removed many veto powers to enalbe faster economic laws.
9 Nov 1989 : Fall of the Berlin Wall
: Symbolic end of Cold War; German reunification follows.
7 Feb 1992 : Maastricht Treaty
: EU is officially created; plans for the Euro set.
1 Jan 1995 : Fourth Enlargement
: Austria, Finland, and Sweden join.
26 Feb 2001 : Treaty of Nice
: Reformed institutions to prepare for Eastern enlargement.
1 Jan 2002 : Euro Notes & Coins
: 12 countries replace national currencies with the Euro.
1 May 2004 : "Big Bang" Enlargement
: 10 new countries join (mostly former Eastern Bloc).
13 Dec 2007 : Treaty of Lisbon
: Reforms EU institutions for modern efficiency.
1 July 2013 : Croatia Joins
: Becomes the 28th member state.
23 June 2016 : Brexit Referendum
: UK votes 51.9% to leave the European Union.
31 Jan 2020 : UK Leaves the EU
: First time a member state officially departs.Original Aims of the ‘European Project’
- Secure peace across Western Europe
- Economic recovery and prosperity
- Embedding and reinforcing democratic values and human rights across the continent
- Economic union (initially in coal and steel)
Note
Some people were worried that this would lead to countries ‘losing their individuality’ and lead to ‘the United States of Europe’.
The Common Market
The common market is a group of countries imposing few or no duties on trade with another and common tariff on trade with other countries.
| Event and Date | Key Features | Why would this be beneficial? | Why might Eurosceptics be hostile? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treaty of Rome, 1957 | Created a “common market” Laid the foundations for an ‘even closer union,’ expanded the scope of the institution | It made goods cheaper and boosted the economy. | It started the move toward European-wide rules. |
| Human Rights (Charter) | Established basic human rights | It protects people from unfair treatment by states. | It lets European judges overrule national laws. |
| Enlargement (round 1), 1973 | UK, Ireland, and Denmark joined | It made the trade bloc bigger and more powerful. | It meant sharing more money and power with neighbors. |
| Schengen Agreement, 1985 | Removed internal border controls …within a region of 6 countries: Belgium, France, Germany (then West Germany), Luxembourg, and the Netherlands | It makes travel and shipping faster and easier. | It makes it harder to control who enters the country. |
| Maastricht Treaty, 1992 | Renamed the “EEC” into the “European Union.” Established a timetable for economic and monetary union (Euro currency), increased cooperation between member states in foreign and security policy | It gave Europe a stronger, single voice in the world. | It moved a lot of power from capitals to Brussels. |
| Amsterdam Treaty, 1997 | Gave more power to the EU Parliament Expanded the scope of the EU into some aspects such as immigration and security, amended parts of the Treaty of Rome | It made the EU more democratic for voters. | It gave the EU even more control over local issues. |
| Enlargement (round 2), 2004 | 10 more countries (mostly Eastern Europe) joined Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia This followed the collapse of the iron curtain. There are poorer countries which need more support. | It helped unite Europe after the Cold War. | It led to concerns about too much inward migration. It also led to concerns about a drain on EU resources. |
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