The process of European integration
- 1921 Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi presented first program of creating International Paneuropean Union.
- 1923 Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi announced a manifesto &Paneuropa&. The Paneuropean Movement began to develop in Europe.
- 08.09.1929 During the League of Nations assembly, Aristide Briand, French Prime Minister, gave a speech presenting a project of the European integration.
- 1930 Aristide Briand proposed creating a European confederation, which would turn into the European Union - a federation of independent countries connected by economic ties.
- 01.09.1939 Outbreak of the Second World War.
- 1944 In Geneva, representatives of resistance movements of various European countries worked out a draft of declaration of cooperation in Europe.
- 05.09.1944 In London governments in exile of Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg concluded a treaty called the Benelux Customs Union.
- 04-11.02.1945 A form of post-war Europe was decided during the Yalta Conference.
- 19.09.1946 During the speech at the University of Zürich Winston Churchill suggested creating &United States of Europe&.
- 05.06.1947 In Harvard Yard George Marshall gave a speech offering American help for post-war European countries. This idea is commonly known as Marshall Plan.
- 17.03.1948 The Treaty of Brussels was signed. On its basis the Western European Union, consisting of Belgium, France, Holland, Luxembourg and United Kingdom, was established. This Union is believed to be a precursor of NATO.
- 16.04.1948 16 countries taking part in Marshall plan set up the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC), in order to coordinate resources and maintain the same rate of exchange.
- 07-10.05.1948 The European Congress in Hague took place.
- 25.10.1948 The European Movement, non-governmental organization acting for unification of European countries, was created.
- 5-8.01.1949 The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance, consisting of Eastern Bloc countries, was established.
- 4.04.1949 The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was set up.. First members were: Belgium, Denmark, France, Holland, Iceland, Canada, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, USA, United Kingdom and Italy.
- 5.05.1949 In Strasbourg the Council of Europe was founded. The founders are: Belgium, Denmark, France, Holland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom.
- 19.12.1949 The city of Aachen (Germany) founded the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen - prize given once a year (since 1950) to people who have contributed to the idea of European Movement and European Unity. The first winner was Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi.
- 9.05.1950 Robert Schumann, the French Foreign Minister, presented the idea of bringing the European Coal and Steel Community into existence (known as Schuman Declaration).
- 04.11.1950 In Rome the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms was signed.
- 18.04.1951 Belgium, France, Holland, Luxembourg, West Germany and Italy signed the Treaty of Paris, creating the European Coal and Steel Community.
- 27.05.1952 An agreement creating the European Defence Community was signed, however due to opposition of French parliament it never went into effect.
- 14.05.1955 The Warsaw Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance (Warsaw Pact) was signed.
- 25.03.1957 West Germany, Italy, France and countries of Benelux signed the Treaty of Rome, thus establishing the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community.
- 01.01.1958 Treaty of Rome began to be in force. The first debate of European Parliament in Strasbourg. Its first president was Robert Schumann.
- 30.09.1961 The Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC) was transformed into the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
- 22.01.1963 France and West Germany signed the treaty about partnership and cooperation.
- 08.04.1965 On the basis of the treaty which was signed, executive bodies of three European Communities (European Coal and Steel Community, European Economic Community and Euratom) were merged.
- 28-29.01.1966 The Luxembourg compromise was reached - it was aninformal agreement stating that crucial resolutions must be adopted unanimously. The compromise granted France with a power to veto any decision.
- 01.07.1967 The European Coal and Steel Community, the European Economic Community and the Euratom joined together.
- 01.07.1968 A customs union was established between countries belonging to the European Economic Community - duties were abolished between them and for others common duties were agreed.
- 01.01.1973 Denmark, Ireland, and United Kingdom entered the European Economic Community.
- 01.08.1975 In Helsinki, the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe was signed by USA, Canada, Soviet Union and all European countries except for Albania.
- 13.03.1979 The European Council established the European Monetary System, European Currency Unit (ECU) was created.
- 07-10.06.1979 The first direct and general election for the European Parliament.
- 01.01.1981 Greece joined the European Communities.
- 01.02.1985 An unprecedented case - Greenland left the European Communities (the Treaty of Rome did not foresee such a possibility) on the basis of a referendum carried out in 1982.
- 01.01.1986 An enlargement of the European Communities - the admission of Spain and Portugal.
- 17-28.02.1986 The Single European Act, the first major revision of the Treaty of Rome was signed - it was decided, that by 1992 single market ought to be created.
- 09.05.1986 For the first time the European flag was hung and the European anthem was played.
- 14.04.1987 Turkey submitted an application for joining the European Union.
- 25.06.1988 In Luxembourg representatives of the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance and the European Economic Community signed a declaration establishing official diplomatic relations.
- 18.12.1989 Trade agreement between the European Communities and the Soviet Union was signed.
- 03.10.1990 Reunification of Germany. Area of former German Democratic Republic became a part the European Communities.
- 10.12.1991 In Maastricht (Holland), a body of the treaty establishing European Union was agreed.
- 16.12.1991 Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia signed an association agreement with European Communities.
- 25.12.1991 Dissolution of the Soviet Union.
- 07.02.1992 In Maastricht, a treaty establishing the European Union was signed.
- 21-22.06.1993 The European Union summit took place in Copenhagen. It was agreed that in the future countries from Central Europe may join the EU.
- 01.11.1993 The Maastricht Treaty entered into force.
- 01.04.1994 Hungary submitted an application for joining the EU. During next two years the same did: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia (precise dates).
- 01.01.1995 Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU. In a referendum carried out earlier, inhabitants of Norway decided not to enter the European Union.
- 12.06.1995 Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia signed the association agreement.
- 15-16.12.1995 During a session of the European Council in Madrid it was decided that common European currency would be named &euro&.
- 31.03.1998 The European Union began negotiations with Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland, Slovenia and Hungary.
- 01.01.1999 The process of introducing the euro to the circulation in non-cash transactions has begun.
- 07-09.12.2000 In Nice, a strategy of enlargement was accepted - the precise way of gaining a member status was described. Furthermore, a mechanism of reforming the European Union institutions was launched.
- 26.02.2001 The Treaty of Nice was signed.
- 01.01.2002 The euro was introduced in 12 countries of EU (excluding: Denmark, Sweden and United Kingdom).
- 13-14.12.2002 During the EU summit in Copenhagen 10 countries finished negotiations with the Union.
- 16.04.2003 In Athens the Treaty of Accession, a legal framework for membership of 10 new countries, was signed.
- 01.05.2004 The European Union was enlarged by 10 countries, and then it consisted of 25 members.
- 01.01.2007 Romania and Bulgaria joined the European Union. Slovenia, as the 13th country, adapted the euro currency.
- 10.07.2007 The Council of the European Union approved Malta's and Cyprus' applications to join the euro area.
- 13.12.2007 In Lisbon Reforming Treaty was signed by heads of all member states.
- 21.12.2007 The Schengen zone was enlarged by: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia.
- 01.01.2008 The Eurozone was joined by Cyprus and Malta.
- 01.01.2009 The Eurozone was joined by Slovakia.
- 01.12.2009 The Treat of Lisbon entered into force.