The Events Leading to the European Union (EU)

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INTRODTION
After the Second World War, Europe established its week points and the danger coming from nationalisation that had distressed the continent. The idea of the European Union was to gather all leaders from the European states and get them to work together and create a strong union that would diminish the possibility of future wars, although there was a certain ideological groundswell in favour of a United Europe shortly after world war two the European Union did not come in to existence until a later date.
The aims of this essay are to discuss the events that were pertained in 1957 to 1993, but in order to understand the developments I have briefly outlined the essential points on the ECSC, which will be again seen through the essay.

1. Historical developments of a United Europe

2. The Outline of EU law 1957 to 1993
• The Treaties of Rome (EEC and Euratom)
• Merger Treaty
• The Single European Act
• Maastricht Treaty

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
The first step of the federation of Europe was established May 1950 by Robert Schuman, the foreign minister for France. He made a historical proposal for the merging of the Coal and steel industries of France and Germany, and any other country that wanted to participate, under a supranational high authority, the proposal was enthusiastically endorsed by the Benelux countries, France, Germany and Italy. The treaty establishing the European coal and steel ECSC was signed in Paris on 18 April 1951, and came into force on 20 July of the following year. The objectives inspired by the Schumann declaration, was by means of pulling the heavy industries together and to set limited specific economic objectives as steps towards the long term political objective of Euro...

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...unity
• Subsidiarity
• Citizenship
• Emu
• New legislation procedures (co. decision). This gives the European Parliament a veto on legislation for the first time
• New activities and competence: education, culture, consumer protection, energy, industtrial policy, development cooperation, social policy

2nd pillar
Amendments to ECSC and Eurotom Treaties
Common foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)
• European council could adopt ‘common positions’ based on the agreement of the MS, which the MS then had to ensure that their national policiesconformed.
• This replaced European Political cooperation, which had existed since the mid 1960s.
3rd Pillar
JUSTICe and home affairs (JHA)
• Policies on asylum, immigration and nationals of non-EC member states
• Provision on cooperationagainst international crime: judical and police cooperation including the establishment of europool

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