The EU - Timeline

from 1957 to today

THE European Union

timeline

19

Treaty of Rome

Creation of EEC (European Economic Community) → 6 countries first joined it : France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, West Germany, The Netherlands → creation of a common market

March, 25th 1957

19

Creation of the European council with the idea to guide the EEC

1974

1979

- European Parliament started to be elected by direct universal suffrage ⇒ more legitimacy and more decisions taken

19

Creation of the Schengen area

It adds mobility of people = no more borders between member States of EEC

1985

Single European Act (SEA)

It is the first time since 1957 that the treaties of the EEC change ⇒ creation of a single market and it increased political integration (countries are not just economic partners, they share institutions)

1986

Roland Dumas signs the Single European Act (Luxembourg, February 17th 1986).

19

Treaty of Maastricht

Creation of the European Union ⇒ creation of European citizenship and the power of the European Parliament increased

1992

2000s

Refusal of European Constitution

It was refused by France and The Netherlands that organized a referendum

2004

2007

Treaty of Lisbon

It recognises the European Council as an EU institution (President at its head elected for 6 months) and it creates the European Citizen Initiative

referendum = a general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has been referred to them for a direct decision.

European Citizen Initiative = right of political initiative to an assembly of at least one million citizens of the European Union, coming from at least seven member countries.

today

Today