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Katrin Groß

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History of Europe

The History of the European Union

by Katrin Groß, 2010

In 1950 Luxembourg, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands founded the European Coal and Steel Community. Their goal was to unite the countries economically and politically in order to avoid another war.

Then in the sixties the duties between the EU countries were removed, that was really good for the economy.

The Single European Act was signed in 1986. What was this act? This contract should be the basic for a six-year-program. The goal was to solve the problems of free trade on the EU´s internal borders, and it led to the creation of the “single market” (Binnenmarkt).

The completion of the internal market was in 1993 with the “four freedoms”: the free movement of goods, services, people and capital. Now the EU talked about the environment and treatment of common security and defense.

By the “Schwengener conventions” were in 1995 the passport controls in Europe gradually abolished. For example, this allowed young people to study in foreign countries.

The euro was 2001 the new currency in many European countries and one point for the cooperation between the nations. By the terror attack on 11.9.2001 the cooperation has been more strengthened.

 

So a small partnership of the economy has been a strong, cohesive Europe that deals with key issues (e.g. environment, finance, industry, agriculture, crises, foreign and security policy…)

 

 

Year

New members

1973

Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom

1981

Greece

1986

Finland, Sweden, Austria

1995

Spain, Portugal

2004

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Cyprus

2007

Bulgaria, Romania

 

→ 27 member states

 

Fount: www.europa.eu

In my opinion, the European Union is a very useful community. It helps us to traveling and working in other European countries. In addition the EU solves problems together and the countries help ech other, eg the poorer countries get money. This is a good thing, because you get to know other cultures and their way of life.

A cooperation can make more as someone else alone.

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