1945 - 1959
The beginnings of cooperation: European Coal and Steel Community (1951);
Six founding countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands;
European Economic Community, Treaty of Rome (1957) - the Common Market.
1960 - 1969
Economic growth: EU countries stop charging custom duties in their mutual trade.
1970 - 1979
The first enlargement: Denmark, Ireland and the UK (1973);
The first direct election of the members of the European Parliament (1979);
The adoption of EU environmental laws.
1980 - 1989
Greece becomes member of the EU (1981);
Spain and Portugal become EU members (1986);
The Single European Act (1986) and the Single Market;
The Erasmus Programme (1987): a EU student exchange programme, a cultural phenomenon;
The fall of the Berlin Wall (1989);
East and West Germany are united in 1990.
1990 - 1999
The progressive fall of communism;
Maastricht Treaty (1993);
Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU (1995);
Treaty of Amsterdam (1999);
Introduction of the Euro (1999).
2000 - 2009
10 new countries join the EU in 2004;
Romania and Bulgaria become EU members in 2007;
Major financial crisis begins in 2008;
Treaty of Lisbon (2007).
2010 - today
A challenging decade;
EU is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (2012);
Croatia joins the EU (2013);
Climate change, Euroscepticism, the annexation of Crimea by Russia, religious extremism, social unrest, refugee crisis, terrorism are complex challenges faced by the EU.
