A TIMELINE OF THE EU
1948
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Plans for a peaceful Europe
In the wake of World War II nationalism is out of favour in large parts of
continental Europe and support for federalism is high. The European Union of
Federalists organises a Congress at The Hague in 1948 in the hope of drawing
up a European constitution. But the UK rejects the federal approach and the
result is the Council of Europe a loose grouping that becomes a guardian of
Europe's human rights.
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1949
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Nato is born
The Washington Treaty is signed by the USA Canada and 10 Western European
states Britain France the Benelux countries Iceland Italy Norway and
Portugal. The key feature of the pact is a mutual defence clause if one
country is attacked the others will come to its defence. The US is
supportive of European integration but it is another year before real
progress is made in this field.
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1950
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The Schuman Declaration
French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman announces a plan for France and Germany
to pool coal and steel production and invites other states to join them. His
plan is based on the idea that European unity is the key to peace.
Solidarity in production he said would make war between France and Germany
"not merely unthinkable but materially impossible."
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1951
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Treaty of Paris establishes European Coal and Steel Community
ECSC
Six countries sign the treaty France Germany the Benelux states and Italy. It
sets up a High Authority to manage the coal and steel industries and a
Common Assembly a precursor of the European parliament. The Dutch supported
by the Germans also insist on the creation of a Council of Ministers made up
of ministers from member states to counterbalance the supranational High
Authority.
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1952
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The ECSC begins work with Jean Monnet at its head
The first president of the High Authority is Jean Monnet the inspiration
behind the Schuman Declaration. The ECSC guarantees German coal to the
French steel industry. It also provides funds to upgrade Belgian and Italian
coal mines. Germany agrees to this and to the dismantling of its steel
cartels in order to gain international respectability.
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1954
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The rise and fall of the European Defence Community
In response to the Korean War the USA insists that Europe must contribute more
to its own defence and that Germany must rearm. In 1952 the six ECSC members
agree to create a European Defence Community which envisages German soldiers
joining a European army. But the French parliament delays ratification and
ultimately rejects the idea in 1954.
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1957
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The Treaty of Rome a first step towards the common market
The six members of the ECSC sign the Treaty of Rome setting up the European
Economic Community EEC and the European Atomic Energy Community Euratom. The
EEC aims to create a common market a customs union plus free movement of
capital and labour. To please France it also promises subsidies to farmers.
Euratom's goal is the joint development of nuclear energy.
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1958
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The EEC takes off dominating the other European communities
The EEC starts work and quickly establishes itself as the most important of
the European communities. It has a commission a council of ministers and an
advisory parliamentary assembly whose members are drawn from national
parliaments. At the same time the European Court of Justice comes into
existence to interpret the Treaty of Rome and rule in disputes over
Community decisions.
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1960
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EFTA is launched another kind of Europe
An alternative to the EEC emerges when Austria Denmark Norway Portugal Sweden
Switzerland and the UK set up EFTA the European Free Trade Association. Like
the EEC EFTA aims to establish free trade but it opposes uniform external
tariffs and sees no need for supranational institutions.
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1961
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Britain Denmark and Ireland apply to join the EEC
The UK's decision to apply for membership of the EEC was taken by the
government of Harold Macmillan a Conservative. It was not welcomed by French
President Charles de Gaulle who saw it as a threat to his goal of using the
EEC to amplify France's voice in world affairs. He was also concerned about
the UK's close ties with the US.
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1963
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French President Charles de Gaulle vetoes British membership
France's nationalist leader Charles de Gaulle refuses to back the UK's
application to join the EEC saying that the British government lacks
commitment to European integration.
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1967
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Treaty creating a single Council and a Commission
for the three communities comes into effect
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1968
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The European Community customs union is completed
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1973
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Britain Denmark and Ireland join the European Community
The three countries and Norway had failed to join 10 years earlier because of
General de Gaulle's veto on British membership. This time all sign an
accession treaty in 1972 but Norwegians reject it in a referendum later in
the year. Denmark and Ireland hold successful referendums. The UK does not
hold a referendum until 1975 after renegotiating its entry terms the result
is twotoone in favour.
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1979
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The road to the euro begins with the EMS
The European Monetary System EMS introduces the European currency unit Ecu and
the exchange rate mechanism ERM. The Ecu a unit for the communitys internal
budget also takes on some of the features of a real currency it is used for
travellers cheques and bank deposits. The ERM gives national currencies an
exchange rate band denominated in Ecus. All EC members join except the UK.
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1981
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Greece becomes the ECs 10th member
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1984
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The UK wins its budget rebate
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1985
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Jacques Delors becomes president of the European Commission
Jacques Delors proposes that the European Community should by the end of 1992
remove a series of barriers to free trade and free movement of capital and
labour creating a "single market". Delors believes the single market
programme will revive European integration by spilling over from the
economic into the political arena. It is widely seen as a necessity if
Europe is to compete with the United States.
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1986
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Portugal and Spain join the EC and the European
flag is unveiled
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1987
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The Single European Act enters into force
The SEA modifies the Treaty of Rome aiming to complete the formation of a
common market which the earlier treaty had begun. It abolishes national
vetoes in a host of areas relating to the single market increases the
legislative powers of the European parliament and makes the first commitment
by member states to create a "European Union".
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1988
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Regional aid is doubled
Market liberalisation is seen to work to the benefit of the more developed
northern European member states so the poorer southern states demand
compensation. This comes in the form of agreement to double the allocations
for structural funds paid to poorer regions.
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1990
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Britain enters the ERM
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1991
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Maastricht turns the Community into a Union
The Maastricht treaty on European Union is signed in December. It paves the
way for monetary union and includes a chapter on social policy. The UK
negotiates an optout on both. The treaty also introduces European
citizenship giving Europeans the right to live and vote in elections in any
EU country and launches European cooperation in foreign affairs security
asylum and immigration.
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1992
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The UK is forced out of the ERM
Volatile currency markets put the Exchange Rate Mechanism ERM under pressure.
The ERM was intended to harmonise currency values ahead of creating a single
currency. In an effort to bolster the £ which had been devalued by the
unstable market the UK government raises base rates in an effort to prompt
currency traders to buy £s. Traders keep selling however forcing the
government to pull the £ out of the ERM.
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1993
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The Treaty on European Union comes into effect
The Maastricht Treaty had a rough ride in national referendums. Danes rejected
it in June 1992 and only accepted it in a second vote in May 1993 after
receiving an optout on monetary union like the UK. In France it squeaked
home by just 50.4 to 49.7. There was also evidence of public discontent in
other countries including Germany and the UK.
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1995
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Borders come down as a result of the Schengen pact
France Germany Portugal Spain and the Benelux countries are the first to drop
border controls except on the EUs external borders followed later by Austria
Italy Denmark Finland Sweden and Greece but not the UK or Ireland. Austria
Finland and Sweden joined the EU at the start of 1995 taking membership to
15. Norway would have joined if voters had not rejected the move in a second
referendum.
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1997
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The Amsterdam Treaty is signed
The treaty starts to get the EU ready for its eastward expansion. More
national vetoes are abolished. Laws on employment and discrimination are
strengthened and the social chapter of the Maastricht treaty becomes an
official part of EU law. The Schengen agreement also becomes law though
Ireland and the UK maintain their optouts. This gives the EU more say on
immigration and asylum.
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1998
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First big steps towards enlargement
Accession negotiations open with Cyprus the Czech Republic Estonia Hungary
Poland and Slovenia. A year later another group of countries gets its foot
in the European door as the EU opens membership talks with Romania Slovakia
Latvia Lithuania Bulgaria and Malta.
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1999
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Crisis at the commission fraud and 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.
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2002
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National currencies replaced by euro notes and coins
The euro came into existence in 1999 as the official currency of 11 countries.
Greece adopted the currency two years later though Sweden Denmark and the UK
stayed out. On 1 January 2002 euro notes and coins were introduced in the 12
participating states and over the next few months their national currencies
were phased out.
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2003
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Plans for a European constitution suffer a setback
A convention headed by former French President Valery Giscard dEstaing has
spent much of 2002 and 2003 drafting the EUs first constitution. Its goals
are to simplify the EU treaties to make the EU more easily understood by its
citizens and to help it work efficiently after enlargement. But an
intergovernmental conference ends in disarray as heads of state and
government fail to agree a final text.
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2004
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The EU enlarges and a new constitution is signed
Enlargement goes ahead on 1 May 2004. Elections to the European parliament in
June 2004 the sixth since European polls began in 1979 are held in 25
countries from Ireland to Cyprus and Malta to Finland. On 29 October EU
leaders sign a new constitution in the same room where the Treaty of Rome
was signed to establish the EU.
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2005
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No votes plunge constitution into crisis
Voters in referendums in both France and the Netherlands reject their
governments plans to ratify the EU constitution. As the constitution cannot
come into effect unless it is ratified by all 25 member states many
commentators declare it dead. The European Union continues to function on
the basis of existing treaties but its future direction has been thrown
dramatically into question.
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2006
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Turkeys EU bid stalls
Negotiations on Turkey's entry to the European Union run into problems in
December 2006. EU foreign ministers decide to suspend accession talks with
Turkey in eight of the 35 areas that candidates are required to complete.
The decision follows Turkey's refusal to open its sea and air ports to ships
and planes from EU member Cyprus.
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2007
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New candidates admitted
Romania and Bulgaria become member states on 1 January 2007. Privately many
European politicians question whether they are ready. But harsh penalties
are threatened if the countries fail to continue making progress in curbing
organised crime and corruption and ensuring food safety and the proper use
of EU funds.
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Story
from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/europe/3583801.stm