The European Union - some information

•  Chronicle history of the European Union
•  The European flag
•  The European anthem
•  European days
•  The Schengen agreement
•  Short facts about the euro
•  History of the euro

Chronicle History of the European Union

1950
9.May	In his speech the French Foreign Minister Robert represent the plan from Jean Monnet. The plan from Monnet involve the idea to put together the production of steal from France and Germany and to establish an organisation which is open for other European countries.
1951
18.April	In Paris six Countries signed the contract for the EGKS - Europaeische Gemeinschaft fuer Kohle und Stahl (European Community for coal and steel)
1952
27.May	In Paris the countries signed the contract of the EVG – Europaeische Verteidigungsgemeinschaft (a European mutual protection pact).
1954
30.August	The French National Assembly decline the EVG contract.
20. - 23.October	After the conference from Lonon they bring the contracts of Paris to an end. They involve the conditions for the expansion to the Western European Union (WEU).
1955
1. - 2. June	In the conference from Messina the six countries decide to expanse the European integration to the whole economy.
1957
25. March	In Rome they signed the contracts EWG – Europaeische Wirtschafsgemeinschaft (European economical community) and the EAG – Europaeische Atomgemeinschaft (European Atom Community).
1958
1. January	The work of the EWG and the EAG started in Brussels.
1960
4. January	Out of an initiative from the UK the countries signed the agreement of Stockholm. The EFTA – European Free Trade Agreement.
1962
30. July	A shared agricultural policy (GAP) started.
1963
14. January	In a press conference Grenral de Gaulle declared France will decline the joining from the UK in the EWG.
20. July	In Jaunde the EWG signed the association agreement with 18 African countries.
1965
April	The contract for the fusion of the three executive parts (WEU, EWG, EAG) and for the common council be signed. The work began at 01. July 1967.
1966
29. January	After the Luxemburger compromise France came back in the council.
1968
1. July	18 month earlier then planed all internal duty for economical products became abolish. The shared duty tariff (GZT) with third countires was founded.
1969
1. - 2. December	In the summit meeting from Den Haag the countries decide to start with the end phase of the community. The final agricultural policy was decided.
1970
22. April	The contract of the step by step financing through own resources was decided.
30. June	Negotiations with Denmark, Ireland, Norway and the UK in Luxemburg.
1972
22. January	The joining from Denmark, Ireland, Norway and the UK signed in Brussels.
24. April	The six decide the system of the “currency sneak”. The maximum changing between the exchange rate of the member states is 2,25 %
1973
1. January	Denmark, Ireland, and the UK joined the EWG. (negative referenda in Norway).
1974
9. - 10. December	The nine (not longer six) decide that the European councillor has to come together for three times per year. They make the suggestion of a direct election for the European assembly. The EFRE - European fond for regional elaboration) was founded.
1975
28. February	Lomé I, a agreement with 46 countries from Africa, the Caribbean room and the Pacific ocean (AKP) was signed in Lomé
22. July	The European audit office was found and the enlargement for the budgetary authority was decided. The work from the audit office started at 01. June 1977.
1978
6. - 7. July	In the summit meeting from Bremen France and Germany propose a deeper teamwork in the currency part. The EWS - Europaeisches Wahrungssystem (European currency system) has to replace the “currency sneak”.
1979
13. March	The EWS began to work.
28. May	Greece and the Europaeische Gemeinschaft – EG - signed a contract for the joining from Greece in the EG.
7. and 10. June	The first direct election for the 410 member of the European parliament.
31. October	Lomé II, a agreement with 58 countries from Africa, the Caribbean room and the Pacific ocean (AKP) was signed in Lomé
1981
1. January	Greece joined the EG.
1984
28. February	The ESPRIT program - Europäisches strategisches Programm für Forschung und Entwicklung auf dem Gebiet der Informationstechnologie – (European program for science and development in IT).
14. and 17. June	The second election of the European parliament.
8. December	Lomé III, a agreement with 66 countries from Africa, the Caribbean room and the Pacific ocean (AKP) was signed in Togo.
1985
January	Jacques Delors became president from the committee of the EG.
1986
1. January	Spain and Portugal joined the EG.
17. and 28. February	In Luxemburgs and Den Haag the countries signed the Einheitliche Europaesche Akte (unified European file). The aim is a better integration for the rest of Europe.
1987
14. April	Turkey called for the EWG membership.
1. July	The Einheitliche Europaesche Akte (unified European file) began to work.
27. October	The WEU pass a shared safety precaution.
1988
February	Reform in the financing and the structur fond.
1989
January	4 more years period for the president of the EG commission Jacques Delors.
15. and 18. June	The third direct election of the European parliament.
17. July	Austria called for the EWG membership.
9. November	The Wall of Berlin fall down.
15. December	Lomé 4, an agreement with countries from Africa, the Caribbean room and the Pacific ocean (AKP) was signed.
1990
29. May	The contracts fort he founding from the Europäischen Bank für Wiederaufbau und Entwicklung - EBWE – (European Bank for economic recovery and elaboration) has signed.
19. June	The agreement from Schengen was signed.
4. and 16. July	Malta and Cyprus called for the EWG membership.
3. October	Reunification of Germany.
1991
1. July	Sweden called for the EWG membership.
21. October	Agreement for the EWR - Europäischen Wirtschaftsraums (European economic Area).
9. - 10. December	Conference of the European councillor in Maastricht.
1992
7. February	The contract for the European Union has signed in Maastricht.
18. March	Finland called for the EWG membership.
25. March	Norway called for the EWG membership.
2. May	In Porto they signed the EWR.
1993
1. January	Fulfilment of the internal European market.
1. November	The contract from Maastricht began to work.
1994
1. April	Hungary called for the EU membership.
8. April	Poland called for the EU membership.
9. and 12. June	The fourth direct election of the European Parlamente.
24. - 25. June	The joining from Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden has signed.
27. - 28. November	Negative Referendum in Norway.
1995
1. January	Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU.
23. January	The committee of the EU began to work. The Chairmanship has Jacques Santer.
26. March	The agreement from Schengen began to work.
12. June	European agreement with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
22. June	Romania called for the EU membership.
27. June	Slovakia called for the EU membership.
27. October	Latvia called for the EU membership.
24. November	Estonia called for the EU membership.
8. December	Lithuania called for the EU membership.
14. December	Bulgaria called for the EU membership.
1996
16. January	Slovenia called for the EU membership.
17. January	Czechoslovakia called for the EU membership.
1997
16. July	Presentation of the Agenda 2000.
20. - 21. November	Maximum at work in Luxembourg.
1998
1. January	Start of the UK presidency.
30. March	Start from the joining procedure from 10 east European countries and Cyprus.
1. July	Start of the Austria presidency
1999
1. January	Start of the German presidency.
in spring	Election of the European parliament.
1. July	Start of the Finland presidency.
2000
1. January	Start of the Portugal presidency.
1. July	Start of the French presidency.
2002
1. January	The EURO
1. July	The national money not longer work.
2004
1. Mai	Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Cyprus and Malta are the new member of the EU. Following the largest expansion in its history, the EU will grow to a population of 450 million people, creating the largest single market in the world. It also means the EU's decision-making bodies, from the European Commission to the European Parliament, will all be required to operate in a whopping 20 languages.

 

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The European flag

•  Chronicle history of the European Union
•  The European flag
•  The European anthem
•  European days
•  The Schengen agreement
•  Short facts about the euro
•  History of the euro

The Logo of the European Union Since 1986 the flag from the Council of Europe is also the flag of the European Union. The flag consist out of one circle with 12 yellow stars on a blue background. The number of the 12 stars is unchangeable and a symbol for the perfection and the unity of Europe.

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The European anthem

•  Chronicle history of the European Union
•  The European flag
•  The European anthem
•  European days
•  The Schengen agreement
•  Short facts about the euro
•  History of the euro

The European anthem - Ode an die Freude – is a special version of the last sentence out of the 9th symphony from Ludwig van Beethoven. With the last sentence of his symphony Beethoven set to music the “Ode an die Freude” from Friedrich von Schiller out of the year 1785. This poem was a symbol for Schillers idea that all humans become brothers and friends. Beethoven shared this idea. The same idea is the idea from the European Union.

1972 the Council of Europe appoint it to the Europe anthem. Since 1986 the European Union use the symphony also as the European anthem.

The aim is not to replace the national anthems. The European anthem symbolize the unity in the diversity. The European anthem don’t use any words, only the universal language, the music which is understand over the whole world.

To listen the European anthem click here.

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European days

•  Chronicle history of the European Union
•  The European flag
•  The European anthem
•  European days
•  The Schengen agreement
•  Short facts about the euro
•  History of the euro

5. May	The Europe Day, which is celebrated since 1964 remind for the founding of the Council of Europe at 05. May 1949. In many countries all official buildings becomes decorat with flags.
9. May	At the 09. May 1950 Robert Schuman presented his idea for a united Europe as an essential premiss for a friendly peaceful Europe. This proposal (Schuman-Erklaerung, Schuman statement) is excepted as the basic for the European Union. On this day Europe celebrate festivals which are for the idea of a united Europe. The day is a symbol for the European unity like the European flag and the European anthem.

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The Schengen agreement

•  Chronicle history of the European Union
•  The European flag
•  The European anthem
•  European days
•  The Schengen agreement
•  Short facts about the euro
•  History of the euro

The Schengen area

A area without borders for European countries.

The principle of the free personal traffic is for every national, independent of his nationality.

For the citizen out of the countries in the European Union the free travel and the free personal traffic is nearly conclude.

The agreement was expand to citizens of third countries, asylums and legal immigrant to become a standardized method

Police and security

The police still guarantee the security in the countries, at airports and harbor but with new methods.

The agreement contain shared regulates for the actively oppose against terrorism, smuggler and the organized crime. More than this there is a nearer working planed in the fields justice, police and administration.

More information

If you want to know more about the Schengen agreement, passport regulations, VISA regulation and travel in other countries you can find it in our detailed document.

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Short facts about the euro

•  Chronicle history of the European Union
•  The European flag
•  The European anthem
•  European days
•  The Schengen agreement
•  Short facts about the euro
•  History of the euro

The euro has been a feature of the financial landscape since 1 January 1999.
On 1 January 2002, it became a physical reality across Europe when the new euro banknotes and coins were introduced.

But what is the background to the euro? Which countries are involved? How did the euro evolve? And what about the distribution of billions of euro banknotes and coins?

In which countries the euro became legal tender?

The euro became legal tender in the 12 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU): Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Greece, Finland, Austria and Ireland.

What is the conversion rate for the euro for each participating currency?

The rates, which have remained irrevocably fixed since 1 January 1999, appear from the table below.

Country	Per 100 euro	Per 100 currency units
Belgium	BEF 4033.99	2.48 euro
Germany	DEM 195.58	51.13 euro
Greece	GRD 34075.00	0.29 euro
Spain	ESP 16638.60	0.60 euro
France	FRF 655.96	15.24 euro
Ireland	IEP 78.76	126.97 euro
Italy	ITL 193627.00	0.05 euro
Luxembourg	LUF 4033.99	2.48 euro
The Netherlands	NLG 220.37	45.38 euro
Austria	ATS 1376.03	7.27 euro
Portugal	PTE 20048.20	0.50 euro
Finland	FIM 594.57	16.82 euro

Is there a euro symbol?

Yes, just as is the case with the dollar ($) and the British pound (£) there is a symbol for the euro, too. The euro symbol is €.

What is the official euro abbreviation, and how will the euro be denominated?

The official abbreviation is EUR. One euro equals 100 eurocents. You can write 15.45 euro, €15.45 or EUR 15.45.

How many different euro notes and coins will be introduced?

There are seven bank notes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros and eight coins in denominations of 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10, cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, 1 euro and 2 euros.

How can you tell the eight euro coins apart?

The eight coins are different in size, weight, material, colour, edge and thickness allowing the blind and visually impaired to tell the coins apart.

 

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History of the euro

•  Chronicle history of the European Union
•  The European flag
•  The European anthem
•  European days
•  The Schengen agreement
•  Short facts about the euro
•  History of the euro

Our new currency has been years in the making.

The Treaty of Rome (1957) declared a common European market as a European objective with the aim of increasing economic prosperity and contributing to "an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe".

The Single European Act (1986) and the Treaty on European Union (1992) have built on this, introducing Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and laying the foundations for our single currency.

The third stage of EMU began on 1 January 1999, when the exchange rates of the participating currencies were irrevocably set. Euro area Member States began implementing a common monetary policy, the euro was introduced as a legal currency and the 11 currencies of the participating Member States became subdivisions of the euro. Greece joined on 1 January 2001 and so 12 Member States introduced the new euro banknotes and coins at the beginning of this year.

The successful development of the euro is central to the realisation of a Europe in which people, services, capital and goods can move freely.

This is history in the making. It is the largest monetary changeover the world has ever seen – join us in celebrating and finding out more about our new currency.

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