Timeline: history of the European Union
Key dates in the history of the European Union
1946
Winston Churchill calls for a "kind of United States of Europe" in a speech at Zurich University.
1949
France, UK and the Benelux countries decide to set in place a Council of Europe.
1950
Robert Schuman, the French Foreign Minister, proposes that France, Germany and any other European
country wishing to join pool coal and steel resources.
1951
Treaty of Paris signed by the Six (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands), establishing
the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).
1957
Treaties of Rome establish the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy
Community (Euratom).
1958
First session of the European Parliamentary Assembly held in Strasbourg, France. Robert Schuman is
elected President of the Assembly.
1959
July, seven countries of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC) – Austria, Denmark,
Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK – decide to establish a European Free Trade
Association (EFTA).
1961
UK applies to join the Community.
1962
The Parliamentary Assembly changes its name to the European Parliament.
1963
General de Gaulle declares that France doubts the political will of the UK to join the Community.
1965
The Treaty merging the executives of the three Communities (ECSC, EEC, Euratom) is signed in Brussels;
enters into force on July 1, 1967.
1967
UK re-applies to join the Community.
1972
Referendum in Norway on joining; majority votes against.
1973
January: Denmark, Ireland and the UK join the European Communities.
1974
April: UK foreign secretary James Callaghan calls for major changes in the Common Agricultural Policy
(CAP), "fairer methods of financing the Community budget" and solutions to monetary problems.
December: the Community’s heads of state or government decide to hold meetings three times a year as the
European Council, agree direct elections to the European Parliament, resolve to set up the European
Regional Development Fund and establish economic and monetary union.
1975
June: British referendum shows 67.2 per cent in favour of UK remaining a member of the Community.
1978
European Council establishes the European Monetary System based on a European currency unit (the ECU)
and the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM). The Ecu has some characteristics of a real currency and is used
in travellers’ cheques and bank deposits. ERM gives national currencies a central exchange rate against the
Ecu. All the community’s members apart from the UK join the ERM.
1979
First direct elections to the European Parliament.
1981
January: Greece becomes 10th member of the European Community.
1984
February: draft Treaty on the establishment of the European Union passed by the European Parliament.
June: European Council in Fontainebleau agrees on the amount of rebate to be granted to the UK.
1985
European Council in Luxembourg agrees to amend the Treaty of Rome and to revitalise integration by
drawing up a Single European Act.
1986
1 January: Spain and Portugal join the Community.
February: Single European Act signed, aiming to create a Single Market by 1992, and reforming the
legislative process to speed this up.
May: the European flag, adopted by Community institutions, flown for the first time in front of the
Berlaymont building, HQ of the Commission in Brussels.
1987
Turkey formally applies to join.
1990
European Council held in Rome launches two Intergovernmental Conferences, one on Economic and
Monetary Union, the other on Political Union.
1992
February: Maastricht Treaty on the European Union is signed, leading to creation of the euro, and the
"pillar" structure of the European Union: the European Community (EC) pillar, the Common Foreign and
Security Policy (CFSP) pillar, and the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) pillar.
June: in a referendum, Denmark votes against ratification of Maastricht Treaty.
1993
January: Single European Market enters into force.
May: in a second referendum, Danes vote in favour of Maastricht.
1995
January: Austria, Finland and Sweden join the Union, bringing membership to 15.
March: Schengen Agreement comes into force between Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the
Netherlands, Portugal and Spain, lifting border control.The UK and Ireland stay out of the agreement due to
fears of terrorism and illegal immigration.
1997
Amsterdam Treaty signed, emphasising citizenship and the rights of individuals, more powers for the
European Parliament, the beginnings of a common foreign and security policy (CFSP).
1998
Establishment of the European Central Bank.
1999
Entire Commission led by Jacques Santer resigns following report by the Committee of Independent Experts
on allegations of fraud, mismanagement and nepotism.
2000
September: Danes vote against joining the single currency.
December: formal proclamation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
2001
February: Treaty of Nice signed, reforming the institutional structure of the European Union to allow for
eastward expansion.
June: Irish vote against the Treaty of Nice in a referendum.
2002
1 January: euro coins and notes enter circulation in the 12 participating member states: Austria, Belgium,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
October: in a second referendum, the Irish people vote in favour of Nice.
2004
May: European Union’s biggest enlargement ever as 10 new countries join - Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic, and Slovenia.
October: the Heads of State and Government and EU foreign ministers sign the Treaty establishing a
Constitution for Europe.
2005
May: French voters reject ratification of the European Constitutional Treaty.
June: Dutch voters reject ratification of the Treaty.
2007
January: Bulgaria and Romania join the EU, bringing membership to 27.
2008
June: Ireland’s voters rejected Lisbon Treaty.
2008
Following the global economic crisis that began in 2008, several countries encounter problems with public
finances.
2009
June: European Parliament elections, the biggest transnational elections in history, with 736 MEPs elected to
represent 500 million Europeans
2 October: Irish vote again on Lisbon
2010
Europe tackles the financial crisis - The 16 EU countries that use the euro, back a plan to help them deal
with their deficits. The EU helps several countries confront their difficulties and establishes a Banking
Union to ensure safer and more reliable banks.
2012
10 December: The European Union receives the Nobel Peace Prize at a ceremony in Oslo. The prize
recognises the EU's contribution over 6 decades to promoting peace, reconciliation, democracy and human
rights.
2013
1 July: Croatia joins the EU, becoming its 28th member.
Candidate countries and potential candidates: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia,
Kosovo*, Montenegro, Turkey, Serbia and more recently Ukraine
2015 onwards
November: A number of European cities, including Paris, Brussels, Nice, Berlin, London and Barcelona,
become the target of terrorist attacks. The European Union and its Member States take action to address all
aspects of the terrorist threat.
2015
12 December: At a UN conference in Paris, 195 countries conclude a new agreement on climate change,
with the EU playing a pivotal role. It comprises an action plan to limit global warming to 'well below' 2°C
compared to pre-industrial levels.
2015
By the end of 2015, over 1 million asylum seekers have arrived in Europe, many fleeing civil war in Syria
and in need of international protection. EU leaders step up efforts to strengthen external border controls and
reduce the number of asylum seekers by cooperating with neighbouring states such as Turkey.
2016
23 June: In a referendum in June 2016, 52% of voters in the United Kingdom vote for the UK to leave the
European Union after more than 40 years as a member. The UK departs on 31 January 2020.
2019
December: Public concern about the climate crisis increases, driven by a growing and active international
youth movement. A new Commission takes office with its sights firmly set on making Europe climate-
neutral by 2050 through a new growth strategy, the European Green Deal.
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