Map showing the five founding Member States of Western Union (WU). The Brussels Treaty establishing Western Union is signed on 17 March 1948 and enters into force on 25 August 1948.

Map showing the birth in 1955 of Western European Union (WEU), which succeeded Western Union. As part of the Paris Agreements, the Protocol modifying and completing the 1948 Brussels Treaty was signed in the French capital on 23 October 1954 and came into force on 6 May 1955.

Map showing accessions to Western Union (WU) and Western European Union (WEU) and the status of the members.

List of Member States, Associate Members, Observers and Associate Partners of Western European Union (WEU).

The flags of Western European Union (WEU) and of the organisation’s 28 members (Full Members, Associate Members, Observers and Associate Partners).

On 27 March 1948, looking at the question of defence in the countries of northern Europe, the French daily newspaper Le Monde speculates on the future of relations between the Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Norway and Denmark) and the countries of Western Union.

On 28 October 1987, the French daily newspaper Le Monde speculates on the possibility of a Danish application for accession to Western European Union (WEU).

On 9 September 1988, the daily newspaper Luxemburger Wort speculates on the possible enlargement of Western European Union (WEU) to include Spain and Portugal, and reports on the visit to Spain of Charles Goerens, President of the WEU Assembly, from 12 to 14 September.

On 13 September 1988, Charles Goerens, President of the Assembly of Western European Union (WEU), grants an interview to the Spanish daily newspaper El País in which he emphasises the importance of Spain’s accession to WEU and discusses the reforms under way within the organisation.

Protocol for the accession of Spain and Portugal to Western European Union (WEU), signed in London on 14 November 1988. The protocol entered into force on 27 March 1990.

In this interview, Charles Goerens, former member of the Assembly of Western European Union (WEU) and its President from 1987 to 1990, describes the position of the Assembly on the accession of Spain and Portugal to WEU in 1990 and refers to the discussions that took place at the time on the accession of Turkey and Greece.

On 16 November 1988, two days after the signing of the Protocol of Accession of Spain and Portugal to Western European Union (WEU), the French daily newspaper Le Monde speculates on the role and aims of this little-known organisation.

In this Declaration made at the Maastricht European Council of 9 and 10 December 1991 and annexed to the Final Act of the Treaty of Maastricht of 1992, the Member States of Western European Union (WEU) invite the Member States of the European Union to become observers or members of WEU, and the European Member States of the Atlantic Alliance to become associate members of WEU.

In its Petersberg Declaration of 19 June 1992, the Council of Ministers of Western European Union (WEU) defines the status of WEU associate member and observer.

Protocol for the accession of Greece to Western European Union (WEU), signed in Rome on 20 November 1992 and which entered into force on 6 March 1995.

This communiqué, issued at the end of the meeting of the Western European Union (WEU) Council of Ministers, held in Rome on 20 November 1992, particularly focuses on the enlargement of WEU.

On 20 November 1992, the Foreign Ministers of the Member States of Western European Union (WEU) and the representatives of Iceland, Norway and Turkey sign a document by which these countries become associate members of WEU.

On 20 November 1992, in Rome, the Foreign Ministers of the Member States of Western European Union (WEU) and the representatives of Denmark and Ireland sign a declaration to make these countries WEU observers.

On 19 April 1993, in Vienna, in connection with negotiations on Austria’s accession to the European Union (EU), Alois Mock, Austrian Foreign Minister, answers a parliamentary question on the country’s possible accession to Western European Union. In his answer, the Minister emphasises the possibility offered to EU Member States to become Member States of WEU or to obtain observer status.

In its Kirchberg Declaration of 9 May 1994, the Council of Ministers of Western European Union (WEU) creates and defines the status of WEU Associate Partner.

The Council of Ministers of Western European Union, (WEU), meeting on 9 May 1994 in Luxembourg in the district of Kirchberg, adopts the Kirchberg Declaration which creates the new status of WEU Associate Partner, given to candidate countries to the European Union which do not belong do the Atlantic Alliance (at the time: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia).

In this interview, Charles Goerens, former member of the Assembly of Western European Union (WEU) and its President from 1987 to 1990, gives his views on the establishment of new statuses for States acceding to WEU, following the Maastricht and Kirchberg Declarations made by the WEU Council of Ministers in 1991 and 1994.

In this interview, Willem van Eekelen, Netherlands Minister for Defence from 1986 to 1988 and Secretary-General of Western European Union (WEU) from 1989 to 1994, explains the doctrine supported by Alfred Cahen, WEU Secretary-General from 1985 to 1989, according to which only countries that are Member States of both the European Communities and the Atlantic Alliance can accede to WEU.

In this interview, Willem van Eekelen, Netherlands Minister for Defence from 1986 to 1988 and Secretary-General of Western European Union (WEU) from 1989 to 1994, discusses the relaxation of the ‘Cahen Doctrine’ following the Maastricht and Kirchberg Declarations made in 1991 and 1994 by the WEU Council of Ministers, which created the statuses of Associate Member, Observer and Associate Partner of WEU.

On 13 May 1997, at a session of the Council of Western European Union (WEU) in Paris, Klaus Kinkel, German Foreign Minister, confirms the determination of the next German Presidency of WEU to develop the organisation’s pivotal role between the European Union and NATO. In his statement, he emphasises the possibility offered to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs) to participate in the definition of the European security and defence policy as associate partners under the aegis of WEU.

At its meeting in Bremen on 10 and 11 May 1999, the Council of Ministers of Western European Union (WEU) publishes its declaration on the new Associate Members. Following the accession of Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic to the Atlantic Alliance on 12 March 1999, these countries became Associate Members of WEU on 23 March 1999.

Group photo taken at the Western European Union (WEU) Council of Ministers in Bremen on 10 and 11 May 1999. The Ministers particularly welcomed the participation of Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, in attendance for the first time as WEU Associate Members.

Press conference at the end of the Western European Union (WEU) Council of Ministers held in Bremen on 10 and 11 May 1999. From left to right: José Cutileiro, Secretary-General of WEU, Joschka Fischer, German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Rudolf Scharping, German Federal Minister for Defence.