BUSINESS IN EUROPE: EU HISTORY AND ECONOMY
1. History of the EU
The European Union (EU)
- Supranational organization of 27 Member States
- Economic and political integration
- Established in 1992 (Maastricht Treaty)
- Dates back to the European Coal and Steel Community (1951)
- See video
https://www.britannica.com/video/191091/overview-history-European-Union
Background: Europe in ruins after WWII
- Aim of the EU is to ensure peace, democracy, political stability, freedom and
economic prosperity on the European continent
- The main pillar of the European Union is the European Single Market
The European Coal and Steel Community
- Pooling coal and steel production would make war between historic rivals France and
Germany
- ‘Not merely unthinkable but materially impossible’
- Schuman Declaration, 9 May 1950
Founding members of the EU
- France
- (West) Germany
- Italy
- Belgium
- The Netherlands
- Luxembourg
EU history in a nutshell
April 1951 The Treaty of PAris, establishing the European Coal and Steel
Community (ECSC) was signed in Paris on April 18 1951 and entered
into force in 1952, it expired in 2002
March 1957 The 6 founding Members sign the Treaties of Rome, establishing the
European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic
Energy Community (Euratom), in rome on March 25 1957 and came
into force in 1958
January 1973 Accession of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom
Januari 1981 Accession of Greece
January 1986 Accession of Portugal and Spain
1
,February 1986 The Single european Act (SEA) was signed in February 1986 and
came into force in 1987, it amended the EEC Treaty and paved the
way for completing the single market
February 1992 The Treaty on european Union (TEU) - The Maastricht Treaty was
signed in Maastricht, The Netherlands on February 7 1992 and came
into force in 1993, it established the EU, gave the parliament more
say in decision-making and added new policy areas of cooperation
January 1995 Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden
October 1997 The Treaty of Amsterdam was signed on October 2 1997 and came
into force in 1999, it amended previous treaties
February 2001 The Treaty of Nice was signed on February 26 2001 and entered into
force in 2003, it streamlined the EU institutional system so that it
could continue to work effectively after the new wave of Member
States joined in 2004
May 2004 Accession of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia
January 2007 Accession Romania and Bulgaria
December 2007 The Treaty of Lisbon was signed on December 13 2007 and came
into force in 2009, it simplified working methods and voting rules,
created a President of the European Council and introduced new
structures with a view to making the EU a stronger actor on the global
stage
July 2013 Accession of Croatia
February 2020 Brexit agreement, withdrawal of the United Kingdom
2
,Treaties of the EU
Signed Treaty
1951 Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)
Treaty of Paris
1957 Treaties of Rome
- Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (ECC)
- Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community
(Euratom)
1965 Merger Treaty - Brussels Treaty
1986 Single European Act (SEA)
1992 Treaty on european Union - Maastricht Treaty
1997 Treaty of Amsterdam
2001 Treaty of Nice
2007 Treaty of Lisbon
Treaties of the EU currently in force
- Treaty on European Union
- Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
+ Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
EU enlargement
1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands
1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom (2020 Brexit)
1981 Greece
1986 Spain, Portugal
1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden
2004 Czechia, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland,
Slovakia, Slovenia
2007 Bulgaria, Romania
2013 Croatia
The EU - summary on a map
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VCYHTGjr-U
3
, 2. The EU today
The EU counts 27 Member States
- 20 eurozone countries
- 7 countries outside eurozone (Swede, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary,
Romania, Bulgaria)
27 Schengen countries
- The Schengen area is an area compromising 27 European countries that have
officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual
borders
What is the EU today?
- Shared values: liberty, democracy, respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms
and the rule of law
- Largest single market
- World’s most successful model for advancing peace and democracy
- A unique institution: Member States voluntarily cede national sovereignty in many
areas to carry out common policies and governance
- Not a super-state to replace existing states, not just an organization for international
cooperation
- The world’s most open market for goods and commodities from developing countries
The complexity of Europe
- 27 political, legal and economic systems
- 24 official languages
- Corrupt?
- Not democratic?
- Shifting to the (far)right?
3. The EU’s values
Europe’s mantra: “United in diversity”
- Unity within broad general parameters
● Aims and values
● Governance
- Diversity in terms of
● Economics
● Politics
● Legal system
● Culture
4
1. History of the EU
The European Union (EU)
- Supranational organization of 27 Member States
- Economic and political integration
- Established in 1992 (Maastricht Treaty)
- Dates back to the European Coal and Steel Community (1951)
- See video
https://www.britannica.com/video/191091/overview-history-European-Union
Background: Europe in ruins after WWII
- Aim of the EU is to ensure peace, democracy, political stability, freedom and
economic prosperity on the European continent
- The main pillar of the European Union is the European Single Market
The European Coal and Steel Community
- Pooling coal and steel production would make war between historic rivals France and
Germany
- ‘Not merely unthinkable but materially impossible’
- Schuman Declaration, 9 May 1950
Founding members of the EU
- France
- (West) Germany
- Italy
- Belgium
- The Netherlands
- Luxembourg
EU history in a nutshell
April 1951 The Treaty of PAris, establishing the European Coal and Steel
Community (ECSC) was signed in Paris on April 18 1951 and entered
into force in 1952, it expired in 2002
March 1957 The 6 founding Members sign the Treaties of Rome, establishing the
European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic
Energy Community (Euratom), in rome on March 25 1957 and came
into force in 1958
January 1973 Accession of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom
Januari 1981 Accession of Greece
January 1986 Accession of Portugal and Spain
1
,February 1986 The Single european Act (SEA) was signed in February 1986 and
came into force in 1987, it amended the EEC Treaty and paved the
way for completing the single market
February 1992 The Treaty on european Union (TEU) - The Maastricht Treaty was
signed in Maastricht, The Netherlands on February 7 1992 and came
into force in 1993, it established the EU, gave the parliament more
say in decision-making and added new policy areas of cooperation
January 1995 Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden
October 1997 The Treaty of Amsterdam was signed on October 2 1997 and came
into force in 1999, it amended previous treaties
February 2001 The Treaty of Nice was signed on February 26 2001 and entered into
force in 2003, it streamlined the EU institutional system so that it
could continue to work effectively after the new wave of Member
States joined in 2004
May 2004 Accession of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, hungary, Latvia,
Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia
January 2007 Accession Romania and Bulgaria
December 2007 The Treaty of Lisbon was signed on December 13 2007 and came
into force in 2009, it simplified working methods and voting rules,
created a President of the European Council and introduced new
structures with a view to making the EU a stronger actor on the global
stage
July 2013 Accession of Croatia
February 2020 Brexit agreement, withdrawal of the United Kingdom
2
,Treaties of the EU
Signed Treaty
1951 Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)
Treaty of Paris
1957 Treaties of Rome
- Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (ECC)
- Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community
(Euratom)
1965 Merger Treaty - Brussels Treaty
1986 Single European Act (SEA)
1992 Treaty on european Union - Maastricht Treaty
1997 Treaty of Amsterdam
2001 Treaty of Nice
2007 Treaty of Lisbon
Treaties of the EU currently in force
- Treaty on European Union
- Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union
+ Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
EU enlargement
1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands
1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom (2020 Brexit)
1981 Greece
1986 Spain, Portugal
1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden
2004 Czechia, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland,
Slovakia, Slovenia
2007 Bulgaria, Romania
2013 Croatia
The EU - summary on a map
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VCYHTGjr-U
3
, 2. The EU today
The EU counts 27 Member States
- 20 eurozone countries
- 7 countries outside eurozone (Swede, Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary,
Romania, Bulgaria)
27 Schengen countries
- The Schengen area is an area compromising 27 European countries that have
officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual
borders
What is the EU today?
- Shared values: liberty, democracy, respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms
and the rule of law
- Largest single market
- World’s most successful model for advancing peace and democracy
- A unique institution: Member States voluntarily cede national sovereignty in many
areas to carry out common policies and governance
- Not a super-state to replace existing states, not just an organization for international
cooperation
- The world’s most open market for goods and commodities from developing countries
The complexity of Europe
- 27 political, legal and economic systems
- 24 official languages
- Corrupt?
- Not democratic?
- Shifting to the (far)right?
3. The EU’s values
Europe’s mantra: “United in diversity”
- Unity within broad general parameters
● Aims and values
● Governance
- Diversity in terms of
● Economics
● Politics
● Legal system
● Culture
4
