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In Pictures
Gallery
The EU: A Timeline
Robert Schuman, the French foreign minister and an early pioneer of the European ideal, proposed in 1950 that France, Germany, and any other European country wishing to join, pool coal and steel resources. The result in 1951 was the Treaty of Paris signed by the Six (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands), establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) [GALLO/GETTY]
Published On 24 Nov 2009
24 Nov 2009
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The historic 1957 Treaty of Rome Treaty of Rome establishes the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). A year later the first session of the European Parliamentary Assembly is held in Strasbourg, France with Schuman elected president. The Assembly changed its name to the present one of the European Parliament in 1962 [GALLO/GETTY]
Following two failed attempts at joining the newly streamlined Community during the 1960s, the UK begins what is to be a sometimes fractious relationship with Europe by joining in 1973, along with Denmark and Ireland. Norway ruled out joining in 1972 and has yet to do so [GALLO/GETTY]
Late in 1974 an agreement is reached to hold meetings three times a year of the Europen Council, to hold direct elections to the European Parliament and establish economic and monetary union. This is taken a step further with the establishment of the Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1978. Meanwhile, in 1981, Greece became the tenth member of the European Community [EPA]
Spain and Portugal joined the community in 1986 and in 1987 Turkey formally applied to join. Negotiations on how to accomodate what would be the bloc's first Muslim nation continue to this day [EPA]
The 1990s began with the historic signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992 leading to creation of the euro, and the European central Bank in 1998 [GALLO/GETTY]
In 1999 the EU is hit by scandal as the entire Commission led by Jacques Santer resigns following reports of fraud, mismanagement and nepotism. But there is better news when euro notes and coins are launched in the 12 particpating member states. The UK and Denmark are the notable absentees [GALLO/GETTY]
The 2001 Treaty of Nice reformed the structures of the EU to allow eastward expansion. That was realised in 2004 when the bloc's biggest ever enlargement saw 10 new members join the club, mainly from eastern and Central Europe [GALLO/GETTY]
In October 2004 heads of state and Government and EU foreign ministers sign a treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. The voters of several countries, notably France and the Netherlands reject the treaty. But expansion continues unabated as Romania and Bulgaria celebrate entry to the club in 2007, brining the mebership up to 27 nations [EPA]
The Lisbon Treaty has been hailed as a historic step in reforming EU institutions and moving the bloc forward. But the treaty provoked much public opposition, particularly in Ireland where the proposed legislation was rejected in a referendum before being given the thumbs up in a second vote [GALLO/GETTY]
But the Lisbon Treaty was finally ratified by the Czech Republic, the last EU member to do so, and paved the way - after much behind the scenes horse-trading and negotitations - for the announcement of Belgian Herbert Van Rumpuy and Briton Catherine Ashton as, respectively, Europe's first ever president and foreign minister [AFP]