Origins of the European Union (Leaving Cert Geography): Revision Notes
Origins of the European Union
Post-war foundations (1950-1951)
The European Union emerged from the devastation of World War II as European leaders sought ways to prevent future conflicts and promote economic recovery. The foundation of European cooperation began with a visionary French politician who recognised that lasting peace required nations to work together rather than against each other.
In 1950, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman presented a groundbreaking plan that would fundamentally change European relationships. His proposal focused on creating cooperation between European states, particularly in strategically important industries. This initiative led to the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1951, which established the first major European institution.
European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC): The first European institution created by the Treaty of Paris in 1951, which allowed free trade of coal and iron between member countries.
The ECSC initially brought together six countries that would become known as the founding members of European integration:
- Belgium
- France
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- West Germany
This arrangement proved highly successful because it allowed these nations to trade coal and iron freely across their borders, boosting economic prosperity while making war between them practically impossible since these materials were essential for weapons production.
Economic integration phase (1957-1965)
Building on the success of coal and steel cooperation, the six founding members recognised the potential for broader economic partnership. The prosperity generated by free trade in these key industries demonstrated that reducing barriers between nations could benefit everyone involved.
In 1957, these countries signed the Treaty of Rome, which created a much more ambitious organisation called the European Economic Community (EEC). This treaty established something revolutionary for its time - a common market that allowed the completely free movement of all goods between the six member states, not just coal and steel.
Common market: An economic arrangement that allows goods, services, and sometimes people and capital to move freely between member countries without trade barriers.
The success of this common market encouraged other European nations to consider membership, as they witnessed the economic benefits experienced by the original six members. The prosperity and cooperation achieved through the EEC proved that European integration could deliver real improvements in people's lives.
By 1965, the member countries decided to expand their cooperation beyond purely economic matters. They changed the organisation's name to the European Community (EC), signalling a shift towards thinking of themselves as a genuine community rather than just a trade partnership. During this period, they also established the European Parliament, which was designed to discuss political issues and introduce laws that would apply across all member states.
Towards political union (1986-1992)
The 1980s marked a significant deepening of European integration as member countries sought to create an even more unified economic space. In 1986, they signed the Single European Act, which represented a major step forwards in removing the remaining obstacles to free trade and movement within the community.
This act eliminated any remaining trade barriers between member states, creating a truly single market where goods, services, capital, and people could move as freely within the EC as they could within individual countries. Additionally, the act established that laws passed at the European level would automatically become law in all member states, creating a unified legal framework.
The most ambitious step in European integration came with the Maastricht Treaty in 1992. This treaty set out plans for introducing a single currency that would be used across member states, replacing their individual national currencies. The treaty also established the European defence force of 60,000 personnel, demonstrating that cooperation now extended into military and security matters.
Eurozone: The group of European Union member states that have adopted the euro as their common currency.
The euro currency was eventually introduced in 2002, and countries that adopted it became collectively known as the Eurozone. The Maastricht Treaty also marked another important milestone - the organisation officially changed its name from the European Community to the European Union (EU), reflecting its evolution into a comprehensive political and economic union.
EU enlargement over time
The success of European integration attracted many other countries who wished to join this prosperous and peaceful community. The expansion of EU membership has occurred in several waves since the original six founding members:
First expansion (1973): Denmark, Britain (United Kingdom), and Ireland joined the community, bringing membership to nine countries.
Southern expansion: Greece joined in 1981, followed by Portugal and Spain in 1986, as these countries transitioned to democratic governments after periods of authoritarian rule.
Nordic expansion (1995): Austria, Sweden, and Finland joined, attracted by the economic opportunities and political stability offered by EU membership.
Eastern expansion (2004): The largest single expansion brought ten new members: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Most of these were former communist countries from Eastern Europe.
Further expansion: Romania and Bulgaria joined in 2007, followed by Croatia in 2013.
By 2013, the European Union had grown from its original six founding members to include 28 member states, representing most of the European continent and over 500 million people.
Key Points to Remember:
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The EU originated from Robert Schuman's 1950 plan to prevent future European conflicts through economic cooperation, starting with coal and steel trade.
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The organisation evolved through four main stages: ECSC (1951) → EEC (1957) → EC (1965) → EU (1992), each representing deeper integration.
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Key treaties shaped European integration: Treaty of Paris (1951), Treaty of Rome (1957), Single European Act (1986), and Maastricht Treaty (1992).
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The EU expanded from 6 founding members (Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, West Germany) to 28 members by 2013 through multiple enlargement waves.
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The introduction of the euro currency in 2002 created the Eurozone and represented the deepest level of economic integration between member states.