-History of the European Union.

History of the European Union.

Pre-1945

Before 1945 large areas of Europe had previously been united by empires such as the Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Frankish Empire, Holy Roman Empire, Ottoman Empire etc.

In the congress of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1818, Tsar Alexander, the most advanced internationalist of those days, suggested the idea of a permanent European union and even proposed the idea of creating a permanent international military army to provide recognised states support in some cases.

This idea did not succeed at all due to the wars and severe events that took place in Europe, such as World War I, the rise of the Nazis in Germany or World War II.

But, however, it was due to the devastating effects of the World War II that some important people came up with the idea of a real European Union. Thus the Pan-Europe movement was created, an organisation that would develop and grow into the European Union as we know it today.

1945-1957

After the end of the war, France, Italy, the Benelux countries (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) together with West Germany signed the Treaty of Paris (1951), creating the European Coal and Steel Community the next year; this took over the role of the International Authority for the Ruhr and lifted some restrictions on German industrial productivity. It gave birth to the first institutions, such as the High Authority (now the European Commission) and the Common Assembly (now the European Parliament).

After failed attempts at creating defence (European Defence Community) and political communities (European Political Community), leaders met at the Messina Conference and created the Spaak Committee which led to the Spaak report. The report was accepted at the Venice Conference (29 and 30 May 1956) where the decision of creating an Intergovernmental Conference was taken. The Intergovernmental Conference on the Common Market and EURATOM focused on economic unity, leading to the Treaties of Rome, signed in 1957, which established the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM).

1958–1972: Three communities

The EEC was headed by Walter Hallstein (Hallstein Commission) and EURATOM was headed by Louis Armand (Armand Commission) and Etienne Hirsch. EURATOM would integrate sectors in nuclear energy while the EEC would develop a customs union between members.

Throughout the 1960s, tensions with France were showed, seeking to limit supranational power and rejecting the membership of the United Kingdom in the team. However, in 1965 an agreement was reached to join the three communities under a single set of institutions, laws, and name. So the Merger Treaty came up and was signed in Brussels and came into force on 1 July 1967; the European Communities were created. Jean Rey presided over the first merged Commission (Rey Commission).

1973–1993: Enlargement to Delors

After much negotiation, and after a change in the French Presidency, Denmark, Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom did finally join the European Communities on 1 January 1973. This was the first of several enlargements which became a greater policy area of the Union.

In 1979, the first elections of the Union took place in the European Parliament by universal suffrage. 410 members were elected. Simone Veil was elected as the first president of the European Parliament, who was also the first woman elected for such big politic charge.

A greater enlargement took place in 1981 with Greece joining on 1 January. In 1985, Greenland voted to leave the Community after gaining home rule from Denmark. Spain and Portugal joined) on 1 January 1986 in the third enlargement.

Recently appointed Commission President Jacques Delors (Delors Commission) presided over the adoption of the European flag by the Communities in 1986. In the first major revision of the treaties since the Merger Treaty, leaders signed the Single European Act in February 1986. The text dealt with institutional reform, including extension of community powers – in particular in regarding foreign policy. It was a major component in completing the single market and came into force on 1 July 1987.

In 1987 Turkey formally applied to join the Community and began the longest application process for any country.

In Central Europe, after 1988 Polish strikes and Polish Round Table Agreement in 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, along with the Iron curtain. Germany reunified and the door to enlargement to the former eastern bloc was opened.

The Maastricht Treaty, which established the European Union, was signed on 7 February 1992 and would come into force the following year.

1993–2004: Creation

On 1 November 1993, , the Maastricht Treaty became effective, the European Union was created and also its pillar system, including foreign and home affairs alongside the European Community.

On 30 March 1994, accession negotiations with Austria, Sweden and Finland succeeded. Meanwhile Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein joined the European Economic Area an organisation that allowed European Free Trade Association states to enter the Single European Market.

In 1995 was implemented the Schengen Agreement which led to the creation of the Europe’s borderless Schengen Area. The agreement established the gradual abolition of border check. Measures proposed included checks that allowed vehicles to go through borders without stopping; it also allowed residents in border areas freedom to cross them away from certain checkpoints.

The 1990s also saw the advanced development of the euro. At the start of 1999, the euro was launched and the European Central Bank was established. On 1 January 2002, notes and coins were put into circulation, replacing the old currencies that members had.

In the following elections, the Socialists lost their decades old majority to the new People's Party and the incoming Prodi Commission was quick to establish the new European Anti-fraud Office (OLAF). Under the new powers of the Amsterdam Treaty, Prodi was described as the 'First Prime Minister of Europe'. On 4 June, Javier Solana was appointed Secretary General of the Council and the strengthened High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy admitted the intervention in Kosovo – Solana was also seen by some as Europe's first Foreign Minister. The Nice Treaty, which included the final preparations before the 2004 enlargement to 10 new members, was signed on 26 February 2001 and came into force on 1st February 2003.

2004- Nowadays

The enlargement (on 1^st May) was the largest single expansion of the European Union, in terms of territory, states and population. Part of the same wave was the accession of Bulgaria and Romania, three years later, with the fifth enlargement.

In June 2004, the 25 members participated in the largest trans-national election. The result of the election was a victory for the European People's Party-European Democrats group. On 22 July 2004, José Manuel Barroso was approved by the new Parliament as the Commission President. The 2009 elections supposed another victory for the European People's Party, despite having lost the British Conservatives. The presidency was divided between the People's Party and the Socialists, who elected Jerzy Buzek as the first President of the European Parliament from an ex-communist state (Poland).

More countries adopted the euro as currency; however trouble developed between members as the euro zone entered in a recession in 2008. Existing members cooperated and the ECB intervened to restore economic growth and the euro was seen as a safe haven again. With the risk of a default in countries such as Greece, Ireland or Portugal in late 2010, euro zone leaders agreed to provision for loans to states that were not able to raise their funds.

The Union received the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize because of "the contribution to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe." The Nobel Committee argued about "that dreadful suffering in World War II demonstrated the need for a new Europe. Today a war between Germany and France is unthinkable. This shows how, through well-aimed efforts and by building up mutual confidence, historical enemies can become close partners.’’