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French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman presents a plan for deeper cooperation. Later, every 9 May is celebrated as ' Europe Day'.
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Based on the Schuman plan, six countries sign a treaty to run their heavy industries – coal and steel – under a common management. In this way, none can on its own make the weapons of war to turn against the other, as in the past. The six are Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
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sees the emergence of 'youth culture’, with groups such as The Beatles attracting huge crowds of teenage fans wherever they appear, helping to stimulate a cultural revolution. It is a good period for the economy,
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The EU signs its first big international agreement — a deal to help 18 colonies in Africa. By 2005, it has a special partnership with 78 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) regions. The EU is the world’s biggest provider of development assistance to poorer countries.
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Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom join the European Union on 1 January 1973, raising the number of member states to nine
The overthrow of the Salazar regime in Portugal in 1974 and the death of General Franco of Spain in 1975 end the last right-wing dictatorships in Europe. -
Membership of the EU reaches double figures when Greece joins
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Spain and Portugal enter the EU, bringing membership to 12.
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the Berlin Wall is pulled down and the border between East and West Germany is opened for the first time in 28 years
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Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU. The 15 members now cover almost the whole of western Europe.
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Euro notes and coins become the legal currency in 12 EU countries.
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Eight countries of central and eastern Europe — Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia— join the EU
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Two more countries from eastern Europe - Bulgaria and Romania - join the EU, bringing the number of Member States to 27.
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The EU is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize "for over six decades [having] contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe".
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Croatia joins the EU, becoming its 28th member.