Term | Definition |
Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community | Signed: 1951
Purpose: to create interdependence in coal and steel so that one country could no longer mobilise its armed forces without others knowing. This eased distrust and tensions af |
Treaties of Rome : EEC and EURATOM treaties | Signed: 1957
Purpose: to set up the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).
Main changes: extension of European integration to include general economic cooperati |
Merger Treaty - Brussels Treaty | Signed: 1965
Purpose: to streamline the European institutions.
Main changes: creation of a single Commission and a single Council to serve the then three European Communities (EEC, Euratom, ECSC). Repealed by th |
Single European Act | Signed: 1986 (Luxembourg) / 1986 (The Hague)
Purpose: to reform the institutions in preparation for Portugal and Spain's membership and speed up decision-making in preparation for the single marke |
Treaty on European Union - Maastricht Treaty | Signed: 1992
Purpose: to prepare for European Monetary Union and introduce elements of a political union (citizenship, common foreign and internal affairs policy).
Main changes: establishment of the Europ |
Treaty of Amsterdam | Signed: 1997
Purpose: To reform the EU institutions in preparation for the arrival of future member countries.
Main changes: amendment, renumbering and consolidation of EU and EEC treaties. More transparent dec |
Treaty of Nice | Signed: 2001
Purpose: to reform the institutions so that the EU could function efficiently after reaching 25 member countries.
Main changes: methods for changing the composition of the Commission and red |
Treaty of Lisbon | Signed: 2007
Purpose: to make the EU more democratic, more efficient and better able to address global problems, such as climate change, with one voice.
Main changes: more power for the European Parliame |