7. A war that can never be forgotten… …and wounded or displaced millions more …. The war was the most destructive the world had, and has, ever witnessed, costing more than one trillion dollars… World War II, lasting from 1939-1945, took the lives of at least 55 million people... It became clear to many, that in order to prevent such a calamity from reoccurring in the future, something had to be done….

8. The European Union

9. The European Union was founded on the principle of bringing the European nations closer together. The Union has not always been as it is today, but rather, was built upon the foundation of a plan put forth by Robert Schuman.

10. In 1950, inspired by the French economic advisor Jean Monnet, French Foreign Minister, Robert Schuman, presented a plan that strove to hold the countries of Europe together by having the countries share valuable resources. Robert Schuman Jean Monnet The Schuman plan created the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) under which France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg agreed to be a part. Schuman Declaration, 9 May 1950

11. The Treaty of Rome, signed in 1957 and built upon Schuman’s plan, established the European Economic Community (EEC), which later would become the European Union in 1992.

12. In 1992 the Maastricht Treaty was signed. This established the name of the European Union, which presently consists of 27 Member States. Maastricht Treaty 1992

13. European Union Parliament Building, France The Treaty of Amsterdam was entered into force on May 1, 1999. This amended the previous two treaties. The Treaty of Nice was entered into force on February 1, 2003. This was an effort to improve the efficiency of the Union. The Treaty of Lisbon, signed in December of 2007 following the disagreement about a European Union Constitution in 2004, has not yet been ratified, so cannot go into force. This treaty primarily hopes to create a more democratic Union and a still more efficient and able one as well.

14. While the European Union continues to face multiple obstacles, it has made, and continues to make, efforts to further its cause of bringing European nations together.