18 APRIL 1951
Six European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands) sign the Treaty of Paris establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).
25 MARCH 1957The Treaties of Rome establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) are signed by the Six Member States.
3 MAY 1960The Stockholm Convention establishing the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) among seven European countries (Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom) comes into force.
31 JULY and 10 AUGUST 1961Ireland, Denmark and the United Kingdom submit applications for membership of the European Communities.
30 APRIL 1962Norway applies for membership of the European Communities.
1 NOVEMBER 1962The Association Agreement signed between Greece and the Community comes into force.
14 JANUARY 1963The President of the French Republic, General de Gaulle, states that France doubts the political will of the United Kingdom to join the Community. A few days later, negotiations with all the applicant countries are suspended.
12 SEPTEMBER 1963Turkey and the European Economic Community sign an Association Agreement.
11 MAY 1967The United Kingdom re-applies to join the Community. It is followed by Ireland and Denmark and, a little later, by Norway.
30 JUNE 1970
Negotiations with four prospective Member States (Denmark, Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom) open in Luxembourg.
5 DECEMBER 1970Association Agreement between the Community and Malta is signed.
22 JANUARY 1972Signature of the Treaties of Accession of Denmark, Ireland, Norway and the United Kingdom. These are ratified by the parliaments of the Member States, except in Norway, where a referendum rejects the accession.
19 DECEMBER 1972The Agreement establishing an Association between the Community and Cyprus is signed.
1 JANUARY 1973Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom join the European Community which counts 9 Member States. The Community's Free Trade Agreements with EFTA countries come into force.
12 JUNE 1975Greece applies for accession to the Community.
27 JULY 1976Negotiations for Greece's accession to the Community open formally.
28 MARCH 1977Portugal applies for Community membership.
28 JULY 1977Spain applies for Community membership.
6 JUNE 1978The Council opens accession negotiations with Portugal.
5 FEBRUARY 1979Spanish accession negotiations formally open in Brussels.
28 MAY 1979
1 JANUARY 1981
Greece becomes 10th member of European Community.
23 FEBRUARY 1982In a consultative referendum, Greenland which became a member of the European Community as part of Denmark on 1 January 1973, opts for withdrawal from the Community.
12 MARCH 1984Agreement on future relations between Greenland and Community.
9 APRIL 1984Ministers representing the Member States of the Community and the EFTA countries (Austria, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Liechtenstein) sign the Luxembourg Joint Declaration, recognizing the need for a European Economic Area (EEA).
12 JUNE 1985Accession Treaties of Spain and Portugal are signed.
1 JANUARY 1986Spain and Portugal join the Community.
14 APRIL 1987Turkish Government presents application to join the Community.
25 JUNE 1988Joint Declaration on the stablishment of oficial relations between the Community and the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA), ushering a new era in relations with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
26 SEPTEMBER 1988Cooperation agreement between the Community and Hungary.
14/16 JULY 1989Western Economic Summit held in Paris decides to support the reforms undertaken in East European countries and ask the Commission to coordinate the aid for economic restructuring in Poland and Hungary (PHARE programme).
17 JULY 1989Austria applies to join the European Community.
19 SEPTEMBER 1989Cooperation agreement between the Community and Poland signed in Warsaw.
9 NOVEMBER 1989Collapse of the Berlin Wall. The German Democratic Republic opens its borders.
5 FEBRUARY 1990
Council defines action programme for development of relations between Community and countries of Central and Eastern europe (PHARE).
29 MAY 1990The Agreement establishing the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), to provide financial support to Central and Eastern Europe countries, is signed in Paris.
20 JUNE 1990The EEC and EFTA start formal negotiations for the creation of the European Economic Area (EEA).
4 and 16 JULY 1990Cyprus and Malta apply to join the European Community.
1 NOVEMBER 1990Cooperation Agreement between the Community and Czechoslovakia comes into force.
14/15 DECEMBER 1990The European Council meeting in Rome agrees on the creation of a programme for technical assistance for Independent States of Former Soviet Union (TACIS).
15 DECEMBER 1990Opening of intergovernmental conferences on political union and on economic and monetary union.
1 JULY 1991Sweden applies for membership.
21 OCTOBER 1991Council reaches agreement on establishment of European Economic Area (EEA).
16 DECEMBER 1991"Europe Agreements" signed with Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.
18 MARCH 1992Finland presents official application for accession to European Communities.
2 MAY 1992Signature in Oporto of the Agreement establishing the European Economic Area.
20 MAY 1992Switzerland presents official application for accession to European Communities.
14 SEPTEMBER 1992First ministerial meeting of national TACIS (programme for technical assistance for Independent States of Former Soviet Union) coordinators opens.
25 NOVEMBER 1992Norway presents official application for accession.
6 DECEMBER 1992In referendum, Switzerland votes against ratification of Agreement establishing European Economic Area.
1 FEBRUARY 1993Negotiations on accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden open in Brussels. Europe Agreement signed with Romania.
8 MARCH 1993Europe Agreement signed with Bulgaria.
5 APRIL 1993Negotiations on accession of Norway open in Luxembourg.
21/22 JUNE 1993Copenhagen European Council confirms accession of Austria, Finland, Sweden and Norway by 1 January 1995, and assures associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe that their accession will be possible as soon as they satisfy the requisite political and economic conditions.
1 NOVEMBER 1993The Treaty on European Union enters into force. An Intergovernmental Conference to review its working is scheduled for 1996.
8 NOVEMBER 1993Council adopts conclusions on future relations with Switzerland.
1 JANUARY 1994Agreement establishing the European Economic Area (EEA) comes into force.
31 MARCH 1994Hungary applies for membership of European Union.
5 APRIL 1994Poland applies for membership of European Union.
24/25 JUNE 1994Signature of Acts of Accession of Austria, Sweden, Finland and Norway.
31 OCTOBER 1994Foreign Ministers of Member States, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, meeting in Luxembourg, outline main themes in Union strategy for opening up to Central and Eastern Europe.
28 NOVEMBER 1994Norwegian referendum rejects accession to European Union.
9/10 DECEMBER 1994The European Council held in Essen agrees on an overall strategy to bring the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe closer to the Community.
1 JANUARY 1995Austria, Finland and Sweden become members of the European Union; it counts now 15 Member States. This enlargement brings the number of European citizens to 368 millions.
1 FEBRUARY 1995Europe Association Agreements between the European Union and Bulgaria, Romania, the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic come into force.
1 MAY 1995Liechtenstein participates in the European Economic Area.
12 JUNE 1995The European Union signs Association Agreements with three Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania).
22 and 27 JUNE 1995Romania and Slovakia present applications to join the European Union.
27 OCTOBER 1995Latvia presents a formal request for accession to the European Union.
28 NOVEMBER 1995Estonia applies to join the European Union.
12 and 16 DECEMBER 1995Lithuania and Bulgaria apply to join the European Union.
31 DECEMBER 1995Custom Union between European Union and Turkey comes into force.
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