The creation of the
European Union, was set off by a speech of the French Minister Robert Schuman
in the French Parliament on May 9th, 1950.
Schuman proposed an agreement between France and Germany for a union of
co-operation for the production and consumption of coal and iron.
The first intention
of creating a European Community was made in 1951 when the Treaty of Paris was
signed, establishing the European Coal and Steel Community. The treaty was
signed by six countries: France, Italy, Germany and the three Benelex countries
(Belgium, Luxembourg and The Netherlands, which had already set up a customs
union in 1948). In May 1953, the common market in coal and steel into effect.
The ECSC was founded on a common market, common objectives and common
institutions. Its task was to contribute, in harmony with the general economy
of the member states and through the establishment of a common market, to
economic expansion, growth of employment and a rising standard of living in the
member states. These general objectives apply to all three Communities within
the Union.
In 1957, two treaties
of Rome were signed establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) and the
European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) which both came into effect on 1st
January 1958. The treaty of the Economic European Community was amended in 1987
by the signing of the Single European Act (SEA); this act especially mentions
the internal market as an important objective. The name EEC was changed into
European Community (EC) because the Community was more than an economic
community; it was also a political and monetary community. In 1993, the treaty
of Maastricht changed the name of the community into European Union.
The late 1960's
witnessed important developments in the building of a European Union. In 1967,
a value-added tax on goods and services (VAT) was introduced throughout the
EEC. Also in 1967, a single Council of Ministers and a Single Commission
presided over the destinies of the three communities (ECSC, EEC and Euratom).
The European Community has gone through several enlargements since 1957. During
this period the European Community has expanded from six to fifteen members. In
1961, the United Kingdom finally applied for membership after declining offers
to join the ECSC and Euratom. The United Kingdom, Denmark and Ireland joined
the EEC. Thus on 1st January 1973, the EEC expanded from six to nine member
states.
Three Mediterranean
countries, which had returned to democracy after a period of dictatorship,
joined the EEC during the 1980's: Greece on 1st January 1981, Portugal and
Spain on 1st January 1986. In 1990 the EEC expanded again because of the
unification of East and West Germany.
In 1993, Austria,
Finland, Norway and Sweden, applied for membership of the EU. On 1st January
1995 the membership came into effect for Austria, Finland and Sweden but not
for Norway. Norway had rejected EU membership by referendum.
Enlargement
Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Turkey, Slovenia and
Cyprus will join the European Union on 1st May 2004 subject to the accession
being passed through their respective citizen via a referendum in each country.
|
Year
|
Entity
|
Countries
Involved
|
|
1948
|
Benelux
(Customs Union)
|
Belgium,
The Netherlands, Luxembourg
|
|
1951
|
European
Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)
|
Belgium,
The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Italy
|
|
1958
|
European
Atomic Energy Community (Euratom)
|
Belgium,
The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Italy
|
|
1958
|
European
Economic Community (EEC) 6 members
|
Belgium,
The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Italy
|
|
1973
|
European
Economic Community (EEC) 9 members
|
Additional
members
United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark
|
|
1981
|
European
Economic Community (EEC)
10 members
|
Additional
member
Greece
|
|
1986
|
European
Economic Community (EEC)
12 members
|
Additional
members
Spain and Portugal
|
|
1993
|
European
Community (EC)
European Union (EU)
|
|
|
1995
|
European
Union (EU)
15 members
|
Additional
members
Austria, Sweden and Finland
|
|
2004
|
European
Union (EU)
25 members
|
Additional
members
Estonia, Latvia,
Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Turkey, Slovenia and
Cyprus
|