The European Union, or EU, describes itself as a family of democratic European countries, committed to working together for peace and prosperity

European Union

History

Maastricht and beyond

Key issues

Reform treaty

New presidency

Over half a century earlier, it was the devastation caused in Europe by World War II which underlay the imperative to build international relationships to guard against any such catastrophe recurring.

French statesmen Jean Monnet and Robert Schuman are regarded as the architects of the principle that the best way to start the European bonding process was by developing economic ties.

This philosophy was the foundation for the Treaty of Paris which was signed in 1951. It established the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) which was joined by France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Under the Treaty of Rome which came into force in 1958, these six countries founded the European Economic Community and European Atomic Energy Community to work alongside the ECSC.

In 1967 the three communities merged to become collectively known as the European Communities (EC) whose main focus was on cooperation in economic and agricultural affairs.

Denmark, Ireland and the UK became full EC members in 1973, Greece joined in 1981, Portugal and Spain in 1986, Austria, Finland and Sweden in 1995.