Treaties
Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community - signed 18th April 1951
Treaties of Rome - signed 1st January 1957
Merger Treaty - Brussels Treaty - signed 8th April 1965
Single European Act - signed 1986
Treaty on European Union - Maastrict Treaty - signed 7th February 1992
Treaty of Amsterdam - signed 2nd October 1997
Treaty of Nice - signed 20th February 2001
Treaty of Lisbon - signed 13th December 2007
Note
The Treaty established a constitution for Europe - with aims similar to the Lisbon Treaty - was signed in 2004 but never ratified.
- To create interdependence in coal and steel so no one country could mobilise its armed forces without others knowing
- Eased tensions and distrust after WWII
- Expired in 2002
Treaties of Rome - signed 1st January 1957
- To set up Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom)
- Extended European integration to include economic cooperation
Merger Treaty - Brussels Treaty - signed 8th April 1965
- To streamline the European institutions
- Created a single Commission and Council to serve the three European Communities (EEC, Euratom, ECSC)
- Repealed by Treaty of Amsterdam
Single European Act - signed 1986
- To reform the institutions in preparation for Spain's and Portugal's membership
- To speed up decision making in preparation for the single market
- Extended qualified majority voting in the Council (made it harder for a single country to veto proposed legislation)
- Gave Parliament more influence
Treaty on European Union - Maastrict Treaty - signed 7th February 1992
- To prepare for European Monetary Union
- To introduce elements of political union (citizenship, common foreign and internal affairs policy)
- Established the EU
- Gave Parliament more say in decision making
Treaty of Amsterdam - signed 2nd October 1997
- To reform EU institutions in preparation for the arrival of future members
- Amendment, renumbering and consolidation of EU and EEC Treaties
Treaty of Nice - signed 20th February 2001
- To reform the institutions so the EU could function efficiently after reaching 25 countries
- Changed methods for changing the Commission's composition and redefined the Council's voting system
Treaty of Lisbon - signed 13th December 2007
- To make the EU more democratic, more efficient and better able to address global problems, such as climate change, with one voice
- Clarified with powers belong to the EU, belong to member countries and which are shared
Note
The Treaty established a constitution for Europe - with aims similar to the Lisbon Treaty - was signed in 2004 but never ratified.