The enlargement of the European Union
Europe at the service of peace and democracy
Community Europe has celebrated its 50th anniversary.
On 9 May 1950, Robert Schuman made history by putting to the Federal
Republic of Germany, and to the other European countries, the idea of
creating a Community of pacific interests. He began a completely new
process in international relations by proposing to old nations to together
recover, by exercising jointly their sovereignty, the influence which each
of them was incapable of exercising alone.
The construction of Europe has since then moved forward every day. It
represents the most significant undertaking of the 20th century and a new
hope at the dawn of the new century. It derives its momentum from the far-
sighted and ambitious project of the founding fathers who emerged from the
second world war driven by the resolve to establish between the peoples of
Europe the conditions for a lasting peace.
A historic success
As Europe approaches the dawn of the third millennium, a look back over
the 50 years of progress towards European integration shows that the
European Union is a historic success. Countries which were hitherto
enemies, today share a common currency, the euro, and manage their economic
and commercial interests within the framework of joint institutions.
Europeans now settle their differences through peaceful means, applying
the rule of law and seeking conciliation. The spirit of superiority and
discrimination has been banished from relationships between the Member
States, which have entrusted to the four Community institutions, the
Council, the Parliament, Commission and the Court of Justice, the
responsibility for mediating their conflicts, for defining the general
interest of Europeans and for pursuing common policies.
Economic integration every day highlights the need for and takes people
closer to political union. At international level, the European Union is
wielding increasing influence commensurate with its economic importance,
the standard of living of its citizens, its place in diplomatic, commercial
and monetary forums.
The European Community derives its strength from common values of
democracy and human rights, which rally its peoples, and it has preserved
the diversity of cultures and languages and the traditions which make it
what it is. Its transatlantic solidarity and the attractiveness of its
model has enabled a united Europe to withstand the pressure of
totalitarianism and to consolidate the rule of law.
The European Community stands as a beacon for the expectations of
countries near and far which watch the Union’s progress with interest as
they seek to consolidate their re-emerging democracies or rebuild a ruined
economy.
Today, the Union of the 15 Member States is negotiating the next wave of
membership with 10 countries of central and eastern Europe, and with Malta
and Cyprus. At a later stage, other countries of former Yugoslavia or which
belong to the European sphere will in turn ask to join. The taking on board
by the applicant countries of the acquis communautaire, and more generally
of the major objectives of the European Union, is central to enlargement
negotiations. For the first time in its long history, the continent is
preparing to become reunified in peace and freedom.
Such developments are momentous in terms of world balance and will have a
huge impact on Europe’s relations with the United States, Russia, Asia and
Latin America.
The key dates of the European Enlargement
1945 – After the Second World War Europe was destroyed. The main problems facing european states were security and economic reconsrtruction.
That’s where the discussion on any integration of Europe started. The ideas of Kudenhove-Calergi were recollected.
1950 – R. Schuman proposed to pool coal and steel resources of France and
FRG.
1951 – The Paris treaty was signed: France, the Federal Republic of
Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg established the
European Coal and Steel Community. This organization could regulate the
European market. It was the first step of European integration and in terms of the enlargement – it was the original platform to enlarge.
1961 – Ten years later, after the EEC and the Euroatom were created (1957), the UK – the leader of EFTA (1960) – applied to enter the EEC.
1963, 1965 – the situation was not that favourable for the UK. On the initiative of De Gaulle, the French leader at that moment, France twice vetoed the UK’s accession to the Community.
1967 – A new application for Community membership from the UK (the fourth attempt), Denmark and Ireland.
1972 – Here we have the first enlargement: The Treaty on the accession of
Denmark, Ireland, Norway, the UK was signed in Brussels. In Denmark and
Norway the referendums were hold and Norwegian people decided not to join the Community (they will change their mind only in 1996). So, in
1973 the agreement on accession entered in force only for three applicants: the UK, Denmark and Ireland.
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