Basic information on the European Union

The EU is a unique economic and political partnership between 27 European countries that
together cover much of the continent.
It was created in the aftermath of the Second World War. The first steps were to foster economic
cooperation: the idea being that countries who trade with one another become economically
interdependent and so more likely to avoid conflict. The result was the European Economic
Community (EEC), created in 1958, and initially increasing economic cooperation between six
countries: Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Since then, a
huge single market has been created and continues to develop towards its full potential.
But what began as a purely economic union has also evolved into an organisation spanning all
policy areas, from development aid to environment. A name change from the EEC to the
European Union (the EU) in 1993 reflected this change.
The EU has delivered half a century of peace, stability, and prosperity, helped raise living
standards, and launched a single European currency. Thanks to the abolition of border controls
between EU countries, people can travel freely throughout most of the continent. And it's also
become much easier to live and work abroad in Europe.
The EU is based on the rule of law. This means that everything that it does is founded on treaties,
voluntarily and democratically agreed by all member countries. These binding agreements set
out the EU's goals in its many areas of activity.
One of its main goals is to promote human rights both internally and around the world. Human
dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights: these are the
core values of the EU. Since the 2009 signing of the Treaty of Lisbon, the EU's Charter of
Fundamental Rights brings all these rights together in a single document. The EU's institutions
are legally bound to uphold them, as are EU governments whenever they apply EU law.
The single market is the EU's main economic engine, enabling most goods, services, money and
people to move freely. Another key objective is to develop this huge resource to ensure that
Europeans can draw the maximum benefit.
As it continues to grow, the EU remains focused on making its governing institutions more
transparent and democratic. More powers are being given to the directly elected European
Parliament, while national parliaments are being given a greater role, working alongside the
European institutions. In turn, European citizens have an ever-increasing number of channels for
taking part in the political process.


List of countries
Map
Member states of the EU
(year of entry)
Austria (1995)
Belgium (1952)
Bulgaria (2007)
Cyprus (2004)
Czech Republic (2004)
Denmark (1973)
Estonia (2004)
Finland (1995)
France (1952)
Germany (1952)
Greece (1981)
Hungary (2004)
Ireland (1973)
Italy (1952)
Latvia (2004)
Lithuania (2004)
Luxembourg (1952)
Malta (2004)
Netherlands (1952)
Poland (2004)
Portugal (1986)
Romania (2007)
Slovakia (2004)
Slovenia (2004)
Spain (1986)
Sweden (1995)
United Kingdom (1973)
On the road to EU membership
Acceding country
Croatia
Candidate Countries
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Iceland
Montenegro
Serbia
Turkey
Potential candidates
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Kosovo*
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR
1244/99 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence

EU around the globe
The European Union is set up with the aim of ending the frequent and bloody
wars between neighbours, which culminated in the Second World War.

The historical roots of the European Union lie in the Second World War.
Europeans are determined to prevent such killing and destruction ever
happening again. Soon after the war, Europe is split into East and West as the
40-year-long Cold War begins. West European nations create the Council of
Europe in 1949. It is a first step towards cooperation between them, but six
countries want to go further.
9 May 1950 - French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman presents a plan for
deeper cooperation. Later, every 9 May is celebrated as 'Europe Day'. As of
1950, the European Coal and Steel Community begins to unite European
countries economically and politically in order to secure lasting peace.

The six founders are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the
Netherlands.
The 1950s are dominated by a cold war between east and west. Protests in
Hungary against the Communist regime are put down by Soviet tanks in 1956;
while the following year, 1957, the Soviet Union takes the lead in the space race,
when it launches the first man-made space satellite, Sputnik 1.
Founding fathers:

The following men are regarded by many as the principal architects of European
integration following the end of the Second World War.

Konrad Adenauer (1876-1967)

The first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of
Germany, who stood at the head of the newly-
formed state from 1949-63, changed more than
any other the face of post-war German and
European history.

Like many politicians of his generation, Adenauer
had already realised following the First World War
that lasting peace could only be achieved through
a united Europe. His experiences during the Third Reich - he was removed from
office as the mayor of Cologne by the Nazis - served to confirm this opinion.

In only six years from 1949-55, Adenauer realised far-reaching foreign policy
goals to bind Germany within the western alliance: membership of the Council of
Europe (1951), foundation of the European Coal and Steel Community (1952),
and Germany's entry into NATO (1955).

A cornerstone of Adenauer's foreign policy was the reconciliation with France.
Together with French president Charles de Gaulle, a turning point in history was
achieved: in 1963 the one-time arch-enemies Germany and France signed a
treaty of friendship which became one of the milestones on the road to European
integration.

Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

Churchill, a former army officer, war reporter and British Prime Minister
(1940-45 and 1951-55), was one of the first to call for the creation of a
'United States of Europe'.Following the experience of the Second World War, he
was convinced that only a united Europe could guarantee peace. His aim was to
eliminate the European ills of nationalism and war-mongering once and for all.

He formulated his conclusions drawn from the lessons of history in his famous
'Speech to the academic youth' held at the University of Zurich in 1946: "There is
a remedy which ... would in a few years make all Europe ... free and ... happy. It
is to re-create the European family, or as much of it as we can, and to provide it
with a structure under which it can dwell in peace, in safety and in freedom. We
must build a kind of United States of Europe."

Thus the driving force behind the anti-Hitler coalition became an active fighter in
Europe's cause.

Sir Winston Churchill also made a name for himself as a painter and writer; in
1953 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Alcide de Gasperi (1881-1954)

From 1945 up until 1953, Alcide de Gasperi, in his roles as Prime Minister
and Minister for Foreign Affairs, forged the path of Italy's internal and
external policies in the post-war years.

He was born in the region of Trentino-Alto Adige (South Tyrol) which had, until
1918, belonged to Austria. Like other exceptional statesmen of his time, he
campaigned actively for European unity. His experiences of fascism and war - he
was imprisoned between 1926 and 1929 before finding asylum in the Vatican -
led to his conviction that only the union of Europe could prevent their recurrence.

Time and again he promoted initiatives for the fusion of Western Europe, working
on the realisation of the Marshall Plan and creating close economic ties with
other European countries, in particular France. Furthermore, he supported the
Schumann Plan for the foundation of the European Coal and Steel Community,
and helped develop the idea of the common European defence policy.

Walter Hallstein (1901-1982)

Walter Hallstein was the first president of the
European Commission from 1958 to 1969, a
committed European and a decisive proponent of
European integration.

In his opinion, the most important prerequisite for
a successful political integration of Europe was the
creation of common economic institutions. As
president of the European Commission, Hallstein
worked towards a rapid realisation of the Common Market. His energetic
enthusiasm and his powers of persuasion furthered the cause of integration even
beyond the period of his presidency. However, the speed of unification during the
so-called Hallstein Period was legendary.

The one-time Secretary of State in the German Foreign Ministry originally
attained international recognition through the Hallstein Doctrine of the 1950s,
which shaped German foreign policy for years to come, and had at its core the
linking of the young democracy into Western Europe.

Hallstein was also at one time professor of law at the universities of Rostock and
Frankfurt.

Jean Monnet (1888-1979)

The French economic advisor and politician Jean
Monnet dedicated himself to the cause of
European integration. He was the inspiration
behind the "Schuman Plan", which foresaw the
merger of West European heavy industry.

Monnet was from the region of Cognac in France.
When he left school at 16 he travelled internationally as a cognac dealer, later
also as a banker. During both World Wars he held high positions involved with
the coordination of industrial production in France and United Kingdom.

As top advisor of the French government, he was the main inspiration behind the
famous "Schuman declaration" of 9 May 1950, which led to the creation of the
European Coal and Steel Community and, as such, is considered to be the birth
of the European Union. Between 1952-55 he was the first president of its
executive body.

It would, however, be unjust to limit Monnet's influence to the economic sphere.
His famous and much-quoted phrase was "We unite people, not states". Today's
EU programmes for cultural and educational exchange follow in this tradition.

Robert Schuman (1886-1963)

The politician Robert Schuman, a qualified lawyer
and French foreign minister between 1948 and
1952, is regarded as one of the founding fathers of
European unity.

Originating from the French-German border region
of Alsace, despite, or maybe as a result of his
experiences in Nazi Germany, he recognised that
only a lasting reconciliation with Germany could
form the basis for a united Europe. Deported to Germany in 1940, he joined the
French Resistance upon fleeing two years later. In spite of this he showed no
resentment, when following the war he became foreign minister.

In cooperation with Jean Monnet he drew up the internationally renowned
Schuman Plan, which he published on 9 May 1950, the date now regarded as
the birth of the European Union. He proposed joint control of coal and steel
production, the most important materials for the armaments industry. The basic
idea was that whoever did not have control over coal and steel production would
not be able to fight a war.

Schuman informed the German chancellor Adenauer of the plan; he immediately
recognised the opportunity for a peaceful Europe and agreed. Shortly afterwards,
the governments of Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands also
reacted. The six states signed the agreement for the European Coal and Steel
Community in Paris in April 1951. In this way, Europe began as a peace initiative.

Schuman also supported the formation of a common European defence policy,
and was, from 1958-60, president of the European Parliament.

Paul Henri Spaak (1899-1972)

A European statesman - the long political career of
the Belgian Paul Henri Spaak can succinctly be
described as thus.

Lying about his age, he was accepted into the
Belgian Army during World War One, and consequently spent two years as a
German prisoner of war. In the Second World War, now as foreign minister, he
attempted in vain to preserve Belgium's neutrality. Together with the government
he went into exile, first to Paris, and later to London.

After the liberation of Belgium, Spaak joined the government, and served both as
Foreign Minister and as Prime Minister. Even during World War Two he had
formulated plans for a merger of the Benelux countries, and directly after the war
he campaigned for the unification of Europe, supporting the European Coal and
Steel Community and a European defence community.

For Spaak, uniting countries through binding Treaty obligations were the most
effective means of guaranteeing peace and stability. He was able to help achieve
these aims as president of the first full meeting of the United Nations (1946) and
as General Secretary of NATO (1957-61).

Spaak was a leading figure in formulating the content of the Treaty of Rome. At
the so-called "Messina Conference" in 1955 the six participating governments
appointed him as president of the working committee that prepared the Treaty.

Altiero Spinelli (1907-1986)

The Italian politician Altiero Spinelli was the leading
figure behind the European Parliament's complete
proposal for a Treaty on a federal European Union -
the so-called Spinelli Plan. This was in 1982
adopted by an overwhelming majority in the
parliament and provided an important inspiration for
the strengthening of the EU Treaties in the 1980s
and 90s.

As a 17 year old, Spinelli had joined the Communist Party, as a consequence of
which he was imprisoned by the fascist regime between 1927 and 1943. At a
conference of European resistance in early 1944 he was one of the initiators of a
proposal for a European Manifest. At the end of the war, he founded the federal
European movement in Italy.

In the role of advisor to personalities like de Gasperi, Spaak and Monnet, he
worked for European unification. A trained juror, he also furthered the European
cause in the academic field, and founded the Institute for International Matters in
Rome.

As a member of the European Commission he took over the area of internal
policy from 1970 to 1976. For three years he served as a Member of Parliament
for the Italian Communist Party before being elected to the European Parliament
in 1979.



Founding Member States: Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium
and Luxembourg.

25 March 1957 - Building on the success of the
Coal and Steel Treaty, the six countries expand
cooperation to other economic sectors. They sign
the Treaty of Rome, creating the European
Economic Community (EEC), or 'common
market'. The idea is for people, goods and services
to move freely across borders.
18 April 1951 - Based on the Schuman plan, six
countries sign a treaty to run their heavy industries
- coal and steel - under a common management. In this way, none can on its
own make the weapons of war to turn against the other, as in the past. The six
are Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

A growing Community - the first Enlargement
24 April 1972 - The EU's first plan for a single currency dates from 1970. To maintain
monetary stability, EU members decide to allow their currencies to fluctuate against
each other only within narrow limits. This exchange rate mechanism (ERM), created in
1972, is a first step towards the introduction of the euro, 30 years later.

1 January 1973 - The six become nine when Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom
formally enter the EU.

Following an Arab-Israeli war in October 1973, Middle East oil-producing nations
impose big price increases and restrict sales to certain European countries. This
creates economic problems throughout the EU.

The last right-wing dictatorships in Europe come to an end with the overthrow of the
Salazar regime in Portugal in 1974 and the death of General Franco of Spain in 1975.

10 December 1974 - To show their solidarity, EU leaders set up the European Regional
Development Fund. Its purpose is to transfer money from rich to poor regions to
improve roads and communications, attract investment and create jobs. This type of
activity later comes to account for one third of all EU spending. The EU regional policy
starts to transfer huge sums to create jobs and infrastructure in poorer areas.

7-10 June 1979 - EU citizens directly elect the members of the European Parliament for
the first time. Previously they were delegated by national parliaments. Members sit in
pan-European political groups (Socialist, Conservative, Liberal, Greens, etc.) and not in
national delegations. The European Parliament increases its influence in EU affairs.


The changing face of Europe - the fall of the Berlin Wall
In summer 1980, shipyard workers in the Polish city of
Gdansk, led by Lech Walesa, strike for more rights.
Other strikes follow across the country. In August, the
government capitulates and Solidarnosc is created as
an independent trade union. The government gradually
reasserts its power and imposes martial law in
December 1981, ending Poland's brief encounter with
people power. But the seeds have been sown for later.

1 January 1981 - Membership of the EU reaches double figures when Greece joins. It
has been eligible to join since its military regime was overthrown and democracy
restored in 1974.

28 February 1984 - Computers and automation are changing the way we live and work.
To stay in the forefront of innovation, the EU adopts the 'Esprit' programme in 1984 as
the first of many research and development programmes it has since funded.

1 January 1986 - Spain and Portugal enter the EU, bringing membership to 12.


A Europe without frontiers
With the collapse of communism across central and eastern Europe, Europeans
become closer neighbours.

In 1993 the Single Market is completed with the the 'four freedoms' of: movement of
goods, services, people and money.

The 1990s is also the decade of two treaties, the 'Maastricht' Treaty on European Union
in 1993 and the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1999.

7 February 1992 - The Treaty on European Union is signed in Maastricht. It is a major
EU milestone, setting clear rules for the future single currency as well as for foreign and
security policy and closer cooperation in justice and home affairs. Under the treaty, the
name 'European Union' officially replaces 'European Community'.
People are concerned about how to protect the environment and also how Europeans can act
together when it comes to security and defence matters.

1 January 1993 - The single market and its four freedoms are established: the free movement of
goods, services, people and money is now reality. More than 200 laws have been agreed since
1986 covering tax policy, business regulations, professional qualifications and other barriers to
open frontiers. The free movement of some services is delayed.

1 January 1995 - The EU gains three more new members, Austria, Finland and Sweden. The 15
members now cover almost the whole of western Europe.

In October 1990, Germany was unified and therefore former East Germany became part of the
EU.

A small village in Luxembourg gives its name to the 'Schengen' agreements that gradually
allow people to travel without having their passports checked at the borders.

26 March 1995 - The Schengen Agreement takes effect in seven countries - Belgium, Germany,
Spain, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal. Travellers of any nationality can
travel between all these countries without any passport control at the frontiers. Other countries
have since joined the passport-free Schengen area.

17 June 1997 - Signature of the Treaty of Amsterdam. It builds on the achievements of the
treaty from Maastricht, laying down plans to reform EU institutions, to give Europe a stronger
voice in the world, and to concentrate more resources on employment and the rights of citizens.

Millions of young people study in other countries with EU support.

Communication is made easier as more and more people start using mobile phones and the
internet.
13 December 1997 - EU leaders agree to start the process of membership negotiations with 10
countries of central and eastern Europe: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary,
Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The Mediterranean islands of
Cyprus and Malta are also included.

1 January 1999 - The euro is introduced in 11 countries (joined by Greece in 2001) for
commercial and financial transactions only. Notes and coins will come later. The euro countries
are Belgium, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands,
Austria, Portugal and Finland. Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom decide to stay out for
the time being.

In 2000, Treaty changes agreed in Nice open the way for enlargement by reforming EU voting
rules.