The $tory of the European Union 1951 1960 1986 1992 2007 ———I————I—I———I———I———I—————I——I—I——I—I————I——I————— 1945 1950 1957 1973 1981 1989 1995 2004

1 9 4 5 Time line The Second World was ended. Jean Monnet’s idea. The governments of France and Germany and another European countries too They should put their own coal and steel industries. Time line

1 9 5 0 Time line Jean Monnet Robert Schuman That is a brilliant idea minister in the French He announced in a important speech on 9 May 1950. Time line

1 9 5 1 Time line Put Netherlands Luxembourg Belgium German French Italy steel Coal European Coal Was set up ! Community Steel And Put Time line

1 9 5 7 Time line 6 countries France, German, Belgium Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands next Well working together EEC Start another club The European Economic Community was set up CAP The Common agricultural Policy was set up. Time line

1 9 6 0 The common market More money Life easier More food For people in EEC The common market was soon making life easier for people in the EEC. They had more money to spend, more food to eat and more varied things in their shops. Time line

1 9 7 3 Ireland Denmark, The United Kingdom, Joined EEC Time line

1 9 8 1 Greece joined EEC Time line

1 9 8 6 Portugal Spain EEC Time line

1 9 8 9 The eastern and western parts of Europe had been kept apart. They weren’t at war, but their leaders disagreed strongly. The eastern part of Europe government called Communism which did not allow people much freedom. The division between east and west was so strong it was often described as an ‘iron curtain’. In many places the border was marked by tall faces or a high wall, like the one that ran through the city of Berlin and split Germany in two. In This year, the division and disagreement ended. The berlin Wall was knocked down and the ‘iron curtain’ Cease to exist. Time line

1 9 9 2 Time line The EEC had 15 members now. Over these years, the club was changing. By the end of this year it had finished building the “single market”, and it was doing a lot more besides. Richer countries helped poorer ones with their road building and other important projects. In short, the club was so different and so much more united that. And it decided to change its name to the EU(European Union). Time line

1 9 9 5 EEC Austria Finland Sweden Time line

2 0 0 4 The former Communist countries worked hard at all these things and, after a few years, eight of them were ready: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. They joined the EU on 1 may 2004 Along with two Mediterranean islands Cyprus and Malta. Time line

2 0 0 7 EEC Bulgaria Romania ready Time line