EUP - History Structure

1951 - Treaty of Paris

1957 - Treaty of Rome

1965 - Merger Treaty

1986 - Single European Act (SEA)

1992 - Treaty of Maastricht (European Union)

1997 - Treaty of Amsterdam

2001 - Treaty of Nice

2004 - Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe (TCE)

2005 - Rejection of Constitution

2007 - Treaty of Lisbon (2009 into effect)

1951

• Establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)
• New entity created with legal personality and independent institutions. (First international body with supranational powers)
• Countries: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, and West Germany

1957

• Establishing the European Economic Community (EEC)
  • Political and economic stability in the region (peace)
  • The welfare and wellbeing of all European citizens
• Establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (Euroatom)
• The European Community (EC) treaty called for:
  • A customs union
  • A common market
  • Common policies
  • Economic and monetary union (EMU)

1965

• Joint institutions
  • One Council
  • One European Commission
  • One European Court of Justice (ECJ)
  • One Assembly (later known as European Parliament)

1986

• Removes all barriers to free movement between member states (MS)
• Objective to establish a single market (‘four freedoms’)

1992

• Treaty forming the European Union
  • Leading to the creation of a single currency – the Euro (convergence criteria)
  • Increase integration in areas other than the economic sphere
  • Three-Pillars
  • Co-operation + Co-decision procedures for passing new legislation.

1997

• Consolidation of EU and EEC treaties
• More transparent decision-making
• Increased use of co-decision voting procedure

2001

• Builds on the Maastricht Treaty & Treaty of Rome
• Reformed the institutional structure of the European Union to withstand eastward expansion.