Part of a series on the
History of the European Union
Timeline Pre-1945 ideas 1945–1957 1958–1972 1973–1993 1993–2004 2004–present
Organisation European Communities (1958-2009) European Coal and Steel Community (1952-2002) European Economic Community (1958-1993) European Atomic Energy Community (1958-present) European Community (1993-2009) Justice and Home Affairs (1993-2003) Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters (2003-2009) Common Foreign and Security Policy pillar (1993-2009) Western European Union (1954-2010)
Treaties Treaty of Paris Treaty of Rome Merger Treaty Single European Act Treaty of Maastricht Treaty of Amsterdam Treaty of Nice Treaty of Lisbon
Commissions Hallstein Commission 1958 Rey Commission 1967 Malfatti Commission 1970 Mansholt Commission 1972 Ortoli Commission 1973 Jenkins Commission 1977 Thorn Commission 1981 Delors Commission 1985 Santer Commission 1994 Prodi Commission 1999 Barroso Commission 2004
Topics History of Europe History of the euro History of enlargement (1995 - 2004 - 2007) List of presidents
European Union portal

This is a timeline of European Union history and its previous development.

Distinct periods

• Pre-1945 ideas
• 1945–1957
• 1958–1972
• 1973–1993
• 1993–2004
• 2004–present

Individual years

Key events

• 2009 – Lisbon Treaty abolishes the three pillars of the European Union
• 2007 – Accession of Bulgaria and Romania
• 2005 – France and the Netherlands reject the Constitution
• 2004 – Accession of ten countries; signing of Constitution
• 2002 – The euro replaces twelve national currencies
• 1999 – Fraud in the Commission results in resignation
• 1995 – Accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden
• 1993 – Copenhagen criteria defined
• 1992 – Maastricht Treaty - The European Union is born
• 1989 – The fall of the Iron Curtain in Eastern Europe
• 1986 – Single European Act; Accession of Portugal and Spain; flag adopted
• 1985 – Delors Commission, Greenland leaves Community.
• 1981 – Accession of Greece
• 1979 – First direct elections to Parliament
• 1973 – Accession of Denmark, Ireland and the UK
• 1967 – ECSC, EEC and Euratom merged
• 1963 – Ankara Agreement initiated a three-step process toward creating a Customs Union which would help secure Turkey's full membership in the EEC.
• 1963 – Charles de Gaulle vetoes UK entry
• 1957 – Treaty of Rome creates Economic Community
• 1951 – Treaty of Paris creates Coal and Steel Community
• 1945 – The end of World War II

Structural evolution

See also

• History of the European Union
  • Ideas of European unity before 1945
  • History of the European Communities (1945–1957)
  • History of the European Communities (1958–1972)
  • History of the European Communities (1973–1993)
  • History of the European Union (1993–2004)
  • History of the European Union (since 2004)
• European Coal and Steel Community
• European Economic Community

External links

• A timeline of the EU – BBC News.
• The history of the European Union – Europa
• European Union Politics Timeline - Oxford University Press: European Union Politics Resource Centre