EUROPEAN UNION 1945 2007 1945 Second World War

EUROPEAN UNION 1945 -2007

1945 � Second World War ended � Europe united as the European Coal and Steel Community, the founding members of this organisation were Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, West Germany and the Netherlands.

1957 � The six countries in the Coal and Steel community signed a treaty and created the European Economic community.

1973 � Denmark and the United Kingdom joined these communities.

1979 �The first European Parliament elections take place and the Single European Currency Unit was introduced (later to become the Euro)

1981 �Greece joins EEC �The first Mediterranean enlargement

1986 �Portugal EEC and Spain join the

15 June 1987 � The EU launches the ‘Erasmus’ programme to fund university students wishing to study for up to a year in another European country. More than 2 million young people have benefited from this and similar EU schemes.

1989 � The Berlin wall opens. East Germans can now travel to West Germany via Berlin. � Spain takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.

1990 �Germany reunited is

1992 � The treaty on European Union is signed at Maastricht. It comes into force on 1 November 1993.

1993 �The single market is created.

1995 � Austria, Finland Sweden join the EU. The 15 members now cover almost the whole of western Europe.

1997 � The Amsterdam treaty is signed

1999 � The euro was introduced in 11 countries

2004 � Eight more countries join the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. � The 25 EU countries sign a Treaty.

2007 � Two more countries from eastern Europe, Bulgaria and Romania, now join the EU, bringing the number of member states to 27 countries. � The 27 EU countries sign the Treaty of Lisbon.