The History and Development
of the European Union, Since
1951
By John Martin, 2007
European Coal and Steel
Community (ECSC)
•
•
•
•
Treaty of Paris (1951)
6 member organization
Franco-German relationship
Increased economic production by
combining coal and steel resources
Leadership and Foresight
• Robert Schuman
• European
integration and
cooperation
• Jean Monnet
(1952-1955)
• Post-war debt
relief
ECSC Institutions
• Common Assembly/European
Parliament
• Council of Ministers
• High Authority/European Commission
(Schuman)
• Court of Justice
Treaty of Rome (1957)
• European Economic Community (EEC)
• Common market (the Six)
• European Atomic Energy Community
(Euratom)
• Nuclear energy
Merger Treaty (1965)
• European Communities (ECSC, EEC,
and Euratom)
• Joint budget and distribution of power
• European Parliament (1962) and
budgetary control (1975)
Enlargement and
Improvement
• 1973- change in French presidency and
3 new additions
• European Parliament (1979)
• 1980’s- southwest Europe (3 more
countries incorporated into European
Communities)
Economic Progress
• Schengen Agreement (1985)- borders and
police cooperation
• 5 out of 12 members
• British mainland (Common Travel Area)
Single European Act (1986)
• Internal market
• Qualified majority
voting (QMV)
• European Council
(policy)
• Introduction of
symbolic flag
Economic and Political Unity
• German reunification
• Maastricht Treaty (1992)- European Union
(EU)
• 3 nations succeed to EU
• Copenhagen European Council (1993)
• Amsterdam Treaty (1995)
Maastricht Uncovered
• Treaty on European Union
• Common Foreign and Security Policy
(CFSP)
• Justice and Home Affairs (JHA)
• Eurocorps (5 members)
• Trilateral organization of power
21st Century Updates
• Treaty of Nice
(2001)
• Globalization
• Coinage and
adoption
European Integration
•
•
•
•
10 members included
East meets west
Economic disparity and uncertainty
27 total nations
Modern EU Politics and
Governance
• Members of Parliament (MEPs) and
political parties
• EPP-ED and PES
• Regulations, directives, and decisions
• Bilateral power distribution (legislative
and judicial)
Recent Trends and Statistics
• Economic diversity and success
• Exports and imports
• Continental integration and
disadvantages
• Global involvement
Global Impact
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•
•
•
Humanitarian aid
Environmental focus
International competition
Positive EU/U.S. relationship
EU Problems and Conflicts
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•
•
•
•
European Constitution (2004)
Franco-German supremacy
Decreasing EU/China relationship
British skepticism
New candidate countries
Conclusion
• Stabilizing Europe with a common
market
• Uniting east and west
• Worldwide responsibility and assistance
• Future of the EU
Further Reading
• Chryssochoou, Dimitris N. 1998. Democracy
in the European Union. London.
• Kostlowski, Dean J., ed. 2000. The
European Union: From Jean Monnet to the
Euro. Ohio.
• Newman, Michael. 1996. Democracy,
Sovereignty, and the European Union. New
York.
• Wallace, Helen and William Wallace, eds.
2000. Policy-Making in the European Union.
Oxford.