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French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman puts forward proposal to operate Western Europe’s coal and steel industries under common management.
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The six founding Members States signed the Treaty of paris and led to the establishing the European Coal and Steel Community.
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The Six member states sign the European Defence Community Treaty in Paris. But is was not ratified
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Following the London Conference, protocols amending and supplementing
the Treaty of Brussels are signed in London, and the Western European
Union is created. -
Messina Conference was proposed in order to revive the European integration process. Foreign Ministers of the Six states envisage a common market covering the whole economy and nuclear energy.
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Signing of the Treaties of Rome establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).
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The Convention establishing the European Free Trade Association, whose members are Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, is signed in Stockholm, Sweden.
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The Council adopts the first regulations on the CAP, created to establish a single market in agricultural goods and to ensure financial solidarity through European Agricultural Guidance
and Guarante Fund -
The French President, Charles de Gaulle, vetoes British membership of the EEC.
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Merger Treaty is signed in Brussels. It merges the executives of the ECSC, EEC, and Euratom to become collectively know as the European Communities. The Treaty enters into
force on 1 July 1967. -
France practices the ‘empty chair policy’, and breaks off negotiations
on the financing of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). -
After conducting its ‘empty chair’ policy
for seven months, France takes up its seat on the Council again; in return, it manages to ensure that the unanimous voting procedure continues to be applied when vital interests are at stake. -
he EC agrees to work towards greater integration and a single market. Proposals are for a customs union, with the removal of all internal customs duties and the application of a common external tariff. Free movement of labour is also guaranteed.
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Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom formally join the European Communities.
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It encourages countries to coordinate a central exchange rate under the Exchange Rate Mechanism. This provides the basis for creating a single European currency in the future.
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Greece becomes the 10th member of the EC, marking the start of a decade of increased expansion and integration.
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Jaques Delors, President of the Commission, argues that the single market programme will revive European integration by spilling over from the economic into the political arena. The Single European Act is proposed - as a revision of the Treaty of Rome - to revitalise the process of European integration.
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Portugal and Spain become members of the EC.
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Two Intergovernmental Conferences (IGC) are launched: the first on EMU; and a second on political union. Economic policy coordination and the removal of obstacles to financial integration are both introduced, as the first stage of EMU.
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The Maastricht Treaty turns the European Community into the 'European Union. The Treaty includes developments for monetary union and a chapter on social policy. It also introduces the concept of EU Citizenship, which gives Europeans the right to live and vote in elections in any EU country.
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The European Monetary Institute (EMI) is established to oversee the co-ordination of the monetary policies of national central banks. The EMI also works towards the creation of the European Central Bank.
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Austria, Finland and Sweden become members of the European
Union. -
The Schengen Convention allows EU citizens to cross national borders without visa or passport checks. France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and the Benelux countries are the first to drop border controls.
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The Treaty of Amsterdam is signed, which follows on from the Maastricht Treaty and prepares the EU for eastward expansion. More national vetoes are abolished as Qualified Majority Voting is expanded, and the social chapter of the Maastricht Treaty becomes an official part of EU law.
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The European Central Bank is established in Frankfurt, Germany. It is responsible for setting monetary policy for the Euro countries and managing their foreign reserves.
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The Presidents of the EU Parliament, the European Council and the EU Commission formally proclaim the Charter of Fundamental Rights, a non-legally binding declaration drafted by a group of legal experts, which sets out civil, political, economic and social rights of European citizens and all persons resident in the EU.
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The Treaty of Nice was signed after the Maastricht Treaty and changed all of it institutions. It reformed the decision-making processes and prepares the EU for expansion to include ten other members.
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Enlargement goes ahead on 1 May 2004, with 10 new countries joining the EU: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland and Slovenia. EU leaders sign the agreed text of the Constitutional Treaty.
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The Heads of State or Government and the Foreign Ministers sign the
Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. -
The French and Dutch reject the Constitutional Treaty in referenda, thus preventing its full ratification. The European Union continues to function on the basis of its existing treaties.
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In Lisbon, the leaders of the 27 Member States sign the new treaty for the European Union. It is renamed the Lisbon Treaty, with most of the original innovations of the Constitution carried over.
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The Lisbon Treaty comes into effect, modifying but not replacing the treaties currently in force. It comprises two main parts: the first consists of adapting the present Treaty on European Union; the second modifies the Treaty establishing the European Community. In the new Treaty, the latter is renamed the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
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Croatia becomes the 28th member state of the EU.
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