The European Union was created in the aftermath of the 2nd World War. The first step was to ensure Economic Cooperation between countries trading with each other’s in Europe.
1948 - 1952
Marshall Plan: European Economic Cooperation. The plan provides know-how on financial aid and economic liberalization & integration of countries in Europe.
1952
Treaty of Paris: The European Coal and Steel Community is established by six founding members (Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Federal West Republic of Germany)
1957
Treaty of Rome: European Economic Community (common market between founding member estates)+ European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).
1968
Abolition of customs duties with the Customs Union (free trade area with common external tariff).
1973
Denmark, Ireland and the UK join the Community.
Development of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
1975
European Regional Development Fund was established.
1979
First elections of the European parliament (5years)
1981 - 1986
First Mediterranean enlargement: Greece, Spain and Portugal
1990
Unification of Germany.
1991
Treaty on European Union adopted by the European Council at Maastricht in 1991, coming into force in November 1993.
Maastricht treaty also included the criteria needed to join the Community.
The EU Treaty also includes the European Economic Community (EMU) as a formal objective setting the convergence criteria.
1993
European Single Act established the European Single Market: adding areas of intergovernmental cooperation and creating the European Union Treaty.
1995
Rich enlargement (15 M.S.)
1998
Treaty of Amsterdam
1999
Common monetary policy based on single currency. € was introduced for no-cash transfers
2000
Lisbon strategy was adopted for modernising the European economy, encouraging innovation and increase employment rate to ensure improvement of welfare.
2001
Treaty of Nice