On 9 May 1950, the French Foreign Minister, Robert Schuman, proposes to the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and other European countries that they should pool their coal and steel resources within a common European organisation. He puts forward his proposal in an address inspired by Jean Monnet.

On 9 May 1950, the French Foreign Minister, Robert Schuman, invites Germany and other interested European states to place their iron and steel production under the authority of a supranational European institution. As Schuman's address could not be recorded on 9 May 1950, the Minister had to take part in a re-enactment of the event for posterity.

Excerpt from the Declaration made by Robert Schuman on 9 May 1950 in Paris.

The Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) is signed on 18 April 1951 in Paris and enters into force on 23 July 1952. This Treaty is concluded for a period of fifty years from the date of its entry into force.

Diagram showing the operation and organisation of the institutions of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), as established by the Treaty signed in Paris on 18 April 1951.

From 1 to 3 June 1955, the Foreign Ministers of the six Member States of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) meet in Messina to review the terms for reviving the European integration process.

After the failure of the European Defence Community (EDC) on 30 August 1954, the six Member States of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) revive European integration by adopting a resolution at the end of the Conference of the Foreign Ministers of the Six, held in Messina from 1 to 3 June 1955, supporting continued efforts to establish a united Europe by the development of common institutions, the gradual merger of national economies, the establishment of a common market and the gradual harmonisation of national social policies.

The Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) is signed in Rome on 25 March 1957 and enters into force on 1 January 1958.

Treaty establishing the European Community as amended by the Treaty of Nice of 2001 and the Treaty concerning the accession of ten new Member States to the European Union, signed in Athens on 16 April 2003.

Diagram showing the operation and organisation of the institutions of the European Economic Community (EEC), as established by the Treaty signed in Rome on 25 March 1957 by the representatives of the six Member States of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).

The Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom) is signed in Rome on 25 March 1957 and enters into force on 1 January 1958.

Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community as amended by the Treaty of Nice of 26 February 2001.

Protocols annexed to the Treaty on European Union, to the Treaty establishing the European Community and to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community as amended by the Treaty of Nice of 2001 and the Treaty on the accession of ten new Member States to the European Union, signed in Athens on 16 April 2003.

Diagram showing the operation and organisation of the institutions of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), as established by the Treaty signed in Rome on 25 March 1957.

The Treaty establishing a Single Council and a Single Commission of the European Communities is signed in Brussels on 8 April 1965 and enters into force on 1 July 1967.

Diagram illustrating the merger of the executives that resulted from the entry into force on 1 July 1967 of the Treaty of 8 April 1965 establishing a Single Council and a Single Commission of the European Communities.

On 1 January 1973, the accession of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom brings the number of Member States of the European Community to nine.

On 20 September 1976 in Brussels, representatives of the Member States of the European Communities adopt the Act concerning the election of the representatives to the Assembly by direct universal suffrage.

The first direct elections to the European Parliament took place between 7 and 10 June 1979. The resulting Parliament met for the first time in July 1979, under its President, Simone Veil.

On 1 January 1981, the accession of Greece brings the number of Member States of the European Communities to ten. On 1 January 1986, the accession of Portugal and Spain brings the number of Member Countries in the European Communities up to twelve.

The Single European Act is signed on 17 February 1986 in Luxembourg and on 28 February 1986 in The Hague and enters into force on 1 July 1987.

During the night of 9 to 10 November 1989, the Berlin Wall comes down. For the first time in 28 years, all Berliners are able to move freely throughout the city.

The Treaty on European Union is signed in Maastricht on 7 February 1992 and enters into force on 1 November 1993.

Treaty on European Union as amended by the Treaty of Nice of 2001 and the Treaty concerning the accession of ten new Member States to the European Union, signed in Athens on 16 April 2003.

Protocols annexed to the Treaty on European Union, to the Treaty establishing the European Community and to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community as amended by the Treaty of Nice of 2001 and the Treaty on the accession of ten new Member States to the European Union, signed in Athens on 16 April 2003.

The Treaty signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht lays the foundations for a new European structure. It establishes a ‘European Union' that brings together not only the three European Communities, but also two areas of political cooperation between Member States (CFSP and JHA). The aim is to allow these three elements to develop within a unified framework. This new structure is generally represented in the form of a Greek temple made of three pillars: the Community pillar, which has a supranational character, and the second and third pillars, which have an intergovernmental character.

On 1 January 1995, the accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden increases the number of Member States of the European Union to 15.

The Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty on European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts is signed in Amsterdam on 2 October 1997 and enters into force on 1 May 1999.

Diagram showing the three-pillar structure of the European Union as created by the Maastricht Treaty signed on 7 February 1992 and modified by the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997. The Community pillar, which has a supranational character, includes the three European Communities. The second and third pillars, which have an intergovernmental character, concern respectively the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters (PJCC).

The Treaty of Nice amending the Treaty on European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts is signed in Nice on 26 February 2001 and enters into force on 1 February 2003.

In 2001, the Nice Intergovernmental Conference (CIG) calls for a deeper and wider debate with all interested parties about the future of the European Union.

Diagram showing the three-pillar structure of the European Union following the entry into force of the Nice Treaty on 1 February 2003.

On 17 December 2000 in Nice, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission solemnly proclaim the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union.

One year after the Intergovernmental Conference held in Nice in December 2000 which launched the ‘Debate on the future of the European Union', the Laeken Declaration of 15 December 2001 redrafts and gives tangible form to the issues raised in Nice regarding a reform of the institutions. Accordingly, the Declaration sets out the key issues to be discussed at a Convention on the Future of Europe, whose inaugural session is to take place in Brussels on 28 February 2002: the division of competences between the Union and its Member States, the simplification of the Union's legislative instruments, the maintenance of interinstitutional balance and an improvement to the efficacy of the decision-making procedure, and the constitutionalisation of the Treaties.

Draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe adopted by the European Convention on 13 June and 10 July 2003 and submitted to the president of the European Council in Rome on 18 July 2003.

Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, as signed in Rome on 29 October 2004.

Treaty concerning the accession of the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovak Republic to the European Union, signed in Athens on 16 April 2003.

On 1 May 2004, the accession of ten States brings the number of Member States in the European Union up to twenty-five.

On 25 April 2005, in Luxembourg, Bulgaria and Romania sign the Treaty of Accession to the European Union. This Treaty enters into force on 1 January 2007.

With the accession of Bulgaria and Romania on 1 January 2007, the number of Member States of the European Union increases to twenty-seven.

Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community, signed at Lisbon, 13 December 2007.

Treaty on European Union as amended by the Treaty of Lisbon, signed on 13 December 2007 in Lisbon and which entered in force on 1 December 2009.

Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union as amended by the Treaty of Lisbon, signed on 13 December 2007 in Lisbon and which entered into force on 1 December 2009. The Treaty of Lisbon amends and renames the Treaty establishing the European Community. This Treaty is now known as the ‘Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union’.

Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community as amended by the Treaty of Lisbon, signed on 13 December 2007 in Lisbon and which entered into force on 1 December 2009.

Protocols annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union as amended by the Treaty of Lisbon, signed on 13 December 2007 in Lisbon and which entered into force on 1 December 2009.

Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union of 7 December 2000 as adapted and symbolically re-proclaimed on 12 December 2007 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009 confers binding force on the Charter, which has been slightly amended since its first proclamation in December 2000.

Map illustrating the European Union’s changing composition following the successive enlargements of the European Communities, from the six founding countries to the Union of 28 Member States. This map also shows the candidate countries currently in accession negotiations, the other candidate countries and the potential candidates.