Development of the EU Flashcards
when was the EU developed and why?
The EU was developed after World War II to support the process of European integration
reasons for the development of the EU
needed economic reconstruction in war-torn Europe through cooperation and the creation of a larger market to facilitate trade
to preserve peace between countries in Europe, particularly France and Germany whose antagonisms had contributed to the outbreak of both World War I and World War II
to increase interdependence between EU states to discourage Germany from attempting to seize absolute dominance again
to incorporate Germany more effectively into a wider Europe to prevent the nationalism that led to the war
to safeguard Western Europe from the threat of the Soviet union (which emerged as a superpower after 1945 and controlled Eastern Europe) and the rise of communism
The USA wished to establish a prosperous and United Europe as a market for US goods and a prevention against the spread of communism
key dates in the development of the EU
1952 — European Coal and Steel Community
1957 — European Economic Community
1961 and 1967 — the UK’s attempts to join the EEC
1975 — European referendum in the UK
1986 — Single European Act
1992 — Maastricht Treaty signed
2004 — most radical enlargement of the EU
2009 — Treaty of Lisbon
1952: European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)
earliest form of European integration
formed between the ‘Six’; France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands
these same countries formed the EEC (European Economic Community) via the Treaty of Rome which they signed in 1957
aimed to remove control of coal and steel from individual nations (aka war making materials)
1957: European Economic Community
The Treaty of Rome was signed in 1957 by the six ECSC states and led to the creation of the EEC in 1958
committed to the establishment of a common European market and unity between the countries
The EEC later became the EC (European Community)
1957: European Economic Community
why did the UK refuse to participate?
The UK refused to participate because…
- having fought alongside the USA and Soviet union in World War II, and emerging victorious, the UK saw itself as one of the ‘big three’ rather than a minor power
- many in the UK felt culturally and historically distinct from Europe, having more in common with the USA
- more concerned with preserving a special relationship with the USA than forming alliances with Europe
- had not been defeated or invaded in World War II so the UK was less affected than other countries
1961 and 1967: the UK’s attempts to join the EEC
why had the UK’s views about joining the EEC changed?
The UK’s views about joining the EEC gradually changed due to growing anxiety about the UK’s loss of status due to the end of the Empire and events such as the 1956 Suez crisis as well as concern about the UK’s economic decline relative to the EEC states
1961 and 1967: the UK’s attempts to join the EEC
when did the UK make its applications? why were they rejected?
The UK made its first application to join the EEC in 1961 (under Harold McMillan’s Conservative government) and its second application in 1967 (under Harold Wilson‘s Labour government)
both attempts were rejected by the French president because…
- he feared that UK was still too closely aligned with the USA, it should pick who it wanted to have a special relationship with
- he believed that the UK would threaten the Franco-German alliance that had come to dominate the EEC
1961 and 1967: the UK’s attempts to join the EEC
when did the UK successfully join? what happened after this?
The UK finally successfully joined the EEC in 1973 along with Ireland and Denmark
in 1967, the EEC formally merged with the ECSC and Euratom and became known as the European Communities (EC)
1975: European referendum in the UK
in 1975, the UK held its first nationwide referendum on the UK’s membership of the EC
The UK voted by a margin of 2 to 1 to stay in the EC
67% voted to stay while 33% voted to leave
1986: Single European Act
The Single European Act was signed in 1986 which envisaged an unrestricted flow of goods, services and people throughout Europe (a single market)
re-launched the integration process
Spain and Portugal joined the EC
1992: Maastricht Treaty signed
in 1992, the Maastricht Treaty (also known as the Treaty of the European Union) was signed
it was ratified in 1992 and took effect in 1993
lead to the creation of the European Union, a more closely integrated version of the EC
committed the EU’s 15 members to both political and monetary union
political union = establishment of common citizenship rights within the EU and a strengthening of EU institutions to ensure common policies in designated areas
monetary union = The establishment of a single European currency (the euro) regulated by the European Central Bank
in 1999, the single European currency was established (the euro)
2004: the most radical enlargement of the EU
10 countries from central and eastern Europe and the Mediterranean joined
bringing about the reunification of Europe after decades of division by the Iron Curtain
2007 — Bulgaria and Romania joined
2013 — Croatia joined
bringing the total number of EU states to 28
2009: Treaty of Lisbon
Constitution Treaty — the first attempt to establish an EU constitution, but was abandoned after defeats in the referendums in 2005
resurfaced in the Treaty of Lisbon which confirmed powers of the EU to act in areas of human rights, judicial and foreign policy
The treaty also strengthened EU independence by giving it a legal personality
