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Five years after World War 2 in 9th of May 1950, the declaration of Schuman was presented by French foreign minister Robert Schuman for European unity to secure peace in Europe. As Robert Schuman said: Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity.

This declaration suggested creating a European Coal and Steel Community, where the countries would share the production of coal and steel. This declaration made to make Europe more united, and prevent any war between France and Germany.

The ECSC also allows European countries to develop together, to reach to modernity, improve living standards, equalising working condition, and increasing exports to other nations.

The Schuman declaration said that France and Germany should share coal and steel production, and a new group called the High Authority would manage it, with members chosen by the countries.

The Schuman declaration was the first step in bringing Europe together.

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60 years of the Schuman Declaration - the birth of United Europe

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In 3rd May 1960, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) created to support free trade and economic cooperation among countries that were not part of the EEC. these countries were Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. By 2020, EFTA members were Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

In August 1961, the communism government in East Germany build a wall across Berlin. This wall becomes the symbol of separation of Eastern and Western Europe during the Cold War.

In July 1962, the first agriculture policy gives EEC countries joint control over food production. Which the outcome was enough food for everybody and farmers can earn a good living.

In July 1963, the EEC signed its first national agreement "Yaounde Convention" with 18 former colonies in African countries. Right now they have this agreement with 79 other countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) regions.

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In April 1965, the leaders of the three European Communities (ECSC, EEC, and Euratom) agreed to combine their management into one. This meant they would have the Commission as one administrative body and one decision making body and a single executive the Council.

In May 1968, small protests happened in France from the workers and student of this country. These protests was a mix of frustration from the government, war against the Vietnam War and the nuclear arm race.

In July 1968, the EEC members removed custom fees from goods from the member countries, and they applied the same duties on their imports to other countries. After this trade between the member countries and outside countries growth rapidly.

In August 1968, Soviet tanks stopped the short period of democracy in Czechoslovakia known as the Prague Spring. This stoped the movement of the country toward freedom and growth.

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The end of the Prague Spring | History Stories

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In 25th March 1957, two Treaties "the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (EEC), and The Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC)" have been signed in Rome Italy, which come to force on January 1958.

The Treaty establishing EEC created a single market for the six countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and Netherlands.

This Treaty created a common market based on free movement of people, goods, and services.

The aim of the EEC and the common market was to build a closer link between the six member countries, Improve trade and production, and to bring Europe closer together politically.

In both EEC and EAEC Treaty decisions were taken by the Council of Minster on a proposal from the Commission. The Parliamentary Assembly (now known as European Parliament) was created to give advice to the Council. It started with 142 members. The European Parliamentary Assembly held its first meeting on 19 March 1958, and in 1979, the Treaties of Rome decided that members would be elected by the people.

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25th March 1957: Treaty of Rome signed, which laid foundations for the European Economic Community

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The development of European Union in 1970s

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The development of European Union in 1970s

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In January 1973, three new members Ireland, Denmark, and United Kingdom joined the European Communities.

In 1973, after the Arab-Israeli wars the oil price had a significant increase and restrict sales in some of European countries. Which caused economic problem for Europe Countries.

December 1974, the leaders of EEC made a huge fund under European region policy to transfer money from rich people to poor. This fund attracted investment and created jobs. The European Regional Development Fund is created in 1975.

1974-75, after the death of General Franco of Spain 1975, overthrow of the Salazar Regime in Portugal and collapse of military rule in Greece in 1974, the dictatorship in Europe ended. these three countries Greece, Spain, and Portugal committed themselves as democratic government afterward.

In June 1979, the member of the European Parliament got directly elected by European citizens for the first time. Before that the members were elected by National Parliaments.

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The development of European Union in 1970s

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The development of European Union in 1970s

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The development of European Union in 1970s

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The decision by the vast majority of the Irish people to join the European Communities (the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community) in 1973 has had an impact on our development as a nation that not even the most optimistic observer of the time could have predicted.

Back then Ireland was regarded by most of the global community as an almost insignificant island, still struggling to find its place in the world more than five decades after gaining independence from the UK.

In the years before becoming a member state, political leaders like Seán Lemass and later Jack Lynch, along with senior diplomats and economists, had argued that Ireland's future lay within Europe.

However, Europe wasn't so sure. Ireland's agriculturally based economy was choked by its dependence on the UK market, and the country suffered from poverty, mass unemployment and emigration.

The founding six EEC countries expressed doubts about our economic capacity and our neutrality. Ireland's policy of protectionism, which saw restrictions imposed on imports, certainly wasn't very appealing to a European community with free trade at its heart.

Leading economists in Ireland had been campaigning for a shift in economic policy and by the early '60s many senior politicians were coming around to the idea that it was the only way to tackle the high unemployment and mass emigration that blighted the country.

Ireland continued to press for EEC membership but hopes were crushed in 1963 when then French President, General Charles de Gaulle, made it clear that France didn't want Britain to join the community.

His stand brought an abrupt end to negotiations with all applicant countries and it was to be another decade before Ireland became a member of the EEC.

A second application in 1967 had been blocked again by President de Gaulle but in 1969 his successor, George Pompidou, promised not to stand in the way of British and Irish membership.

Fresh negotiations began and on January 22, 1972, the Treaty of Accession was signed. A referendum held in May 1972 confirmed Ireland's entry into the European community with 83 per cent of voters supporting membership.

Ireland's membership of the European Economic Community (EEC) which was to evolve into the European Union, officially began on January 1, 1973.

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Ireland became a member of the European Communities on 1 January 1973 at the same time as the United Kingdom and Denmark.

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The development of European Union in 1970s

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The development of European Union in 1970s

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The system of 'imperial preference' in British trade which had been declared in the 1932 Import Duties Act continued after the Second World War. In the 1950s Britain still enjoyed strong trading connections with the Commonwealth countries, but there was much feeling that the nation's trading relationships should be more fully developed in Europe.

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In 1980, workers in the Gdansk shipyard led by Lech Walesa went on strike for better working conditions and more rights, which their protest spread to the other cities. The government agreed to their demands allowing the creation of Solidarnosc (Solidarity) an independent trade union. Then in December 1981, the government declared Martial Law and arrested the leaders of these protests.

In January 1981, after Greece become a democratic government in 1974, this country joined the European Communities.

In February 1984, the Esprit programme launched, Which is the first of many research and innovation programmes in Europe. This program aimed to support technological advancements and ensure Europe remained in innovation.

In January 1986, Spain and Portugal joined the European Communities.

In February 1986, Even though customs duties were removed in 1968, but the trade were not following freely across the borders between member countries. The Single European Act lunched a six years programme to sort this problem out, and to create a single market. This Act come to force in July 1987.

In June 1987, the Erasmus programme created to fund university student to allow them to study in another European Countries, or volunteer or gain work experience abroad.

In November 1989, the Berlin Wall falls and allowed the border between East and West Germany to open for the first time after 28 years. Then, in 1990, the Eastern Germany becomes part of the European Communities.

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The development of European Union in 1990s

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The development of European Union in 1990s

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After the fall down of Berlin Wall in 1989, so many changes happened in Europe specially the democratic transaction in Central and Eastern European Countries. These changes had significant impact on the work of Council of Europe.

At this time the priority for the Council was:

regional programmes, this programme focused on teaching of history to Central and Eastern Europe, to ensure the history teaching reflect the change of Central and Eastern Europe from communist to democracy.

In 1991, history teachers, experts, and educational officials from Eastern and Western Europe met in Brugge for the first time to share their views about history teaching in New Europe.

The Brugge meeting highlighted a paradox: the student seemed uninterested in learning history while the general public showed interested for new subject. It was agreed that the solution was trough modern approach to history teaching. The symposium in Brugge lead to:

1- a supplement of the 25 themes defined at the Elsinor conference.

2- the representatives of national and regional associations for teachers of history to meet again in 1992 to set the European Standing Conference of History Teachers Associations (EUROCLIO).

3- organising further meetings on themes such as identity, nationalism and an intercultural approach to history teaching.

These themes were emphasised in 1993 Summit of Heads of State and Government and in 1994 at a conference in Sofia.

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summit of heads of state and government eu

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Summit of Heads of State and Government 1993

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Summit of Heads of State and Government 1993

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Summit of Heads of State and Government 1993: at the first summit, the government leaders saw the need of to fight racism, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and intolerance. in their action plan they outlined two key point:

1- promoting human rights and culture diversity.

2- removing prejudice among different countries, religions and ideas.

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  Summit of Heads of State and Government 1993 Europe

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The development of European Union 2000-2010

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The development of European Union 2000-2010

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After 2000s, Euro is the new currency for most of EU member countries.

In February 2001, the treaty of Nice which is the amended of treaty of EU have been signed by European Parliament President Nicole Fontaine. The aim of this treaty was to reform the EU framework to address the challenges of including the accession of ten Central and Eastern European countries, Cyprus, and Malta.

Due to this treaty, the parliament's legislative and supervisor powers increased. The Treaty of Nice came into force in February 2003.

In 11 September 2001, the terrorist attacked the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon building in Washington. nearly 3,000 people died. the EU stand alongside with United State to fight against international terrorists.

In January 2002, the Euro notes and coins become the legal currency in 12 EU countries.

In March 2003, as part of foreign and security policy, the EU carries out peacekeeping missions in the Balkans, starting with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (now North Macedonia) and then in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In both cases, EU forces replace NATO.

In May 2004, Cyprus and Malta join the EU along with 8 Central and Eastern European countries Czech, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. With joining these 10 countries the division of Europe after World War 2 ended.

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The development of European Union 2000-2010

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The development of European Union 2000-2010

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In 29th May-1st June t 2005, the voters in France and the Netherlands reject the Treaty establishing a constitution for Europe, which had been signed by the 25 EU member states in October 2004.

In January 2007, two new countries Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU.

In December 2007, the Lisbon Treaty signed by 27 EU members. this treaty was designed to make EU more democratic, secure and development, efficient and transparent, and to manage the global challenges like climate changes. the Treaty of Lisbon came to force in December 2009.

In September 2009, a global financial crisis begins. These crisis triggered by problems with mortgage loans in the United States and European banks.

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In 2010, after the financial crisis on 2008 several countries faced problems with public finance. The 16 EU countries that used the Euro made a plan to stand with these countries and establishes a Banking Union to ensure more safer banks.

In December 2012, at a ceremony in Oslo EU received Nobel Peace Prize. The prize recognised EU contribution over the 6 decades to promoting democracy, peace, human rights, and reconciliation.

In July 2013, the 28th member Croatia joined the EU.

In November 2015, a huge number of European cities London, Berlin, Nice, Barcelona, Brussels, and Paris become the target of terrorist attack.

In 12th December, 196 countries conclude a new agreement at a UN conference in Paris on Climate changes. The action plan for this Problem was to limit the global warning to bellow 2 degrees compared to pre industrial levels.

In December 2015, over one million asylum arrived in Europe. Most of these asylum was running from civil war in Syria to seek international protection. For reducing the amount of asylum the EU leaders strengthen the external borders and cooperating with neighbour countries like Turkey.

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History of the European Union – 2010-19 | European Union

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Discover how the EU developed from 2010 to 2019, responding to the financial crisis, and Croatia joining the EU, and the UK voting to leave.

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In 2016, after a referendum in United Kingdom over 52% of voters wanted the UK to leave the EU after being a member for more than 40 years. The UK departs from the EU on 31st January 2020.

In December 2019, public concern regarding climate changes and global warning increased. To overcome these challenges the European Green Deal will transfer the EU to a modern, resource efficient and competitive economy, by achieving three goals:

1- achieving no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050.

2- separate economic growth from the use of natural resources.

3- ensuring no person and places left behind from these changes.

One third of the 1.8€ trillion from the Next Generation EU Recovery Plan and the EU's seven year budget will fund the European Green Deal.

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The development of European Union 2020-2024

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The development of European Union 2020-2024

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In January 2020, the Covid 19 pandemic caused a major public health emergency, and economic slowdown around the world. At this time, the EU member focused to support the health care system, reducing the spreading of the virus, and secure vaccines for EU and all around the world.

On April 2021, the EU launched a year long Conference on the Future of Europe. This project gives the EU citizens the chance to share their thoughts and help decide the future of the EU.

In February 2022, an injustice war between Russia and Ukraine started. During this time the EU imposes strong sanctions on Russia, and provides humanitarian, financial, military and other helps to Ukraine.