THE BEGINNING OF THE EU Contents:

1. The EU’s values

2. Founding fathers of the EU

3. The beginnings of cooperation

4. The first wave of expansion

5. Major changes

6. A Europe without frontiers

7. New expansion

8. Webquest

9. Webography

The history of the European Union

• The EU’s values are common to all Member States, in a society where they tolerate tolerance, justice, solidarity and anti-discrimination. These values are an integral part of the European way of life:

• Human dignity

• Freedom

• Democracy

• Equality

• The rule of law

• Human rights

Founding fathers of the EU

• The next visionary leaders inspired the creation of the European Union we live in today. Without their energy and motivation, we could not enjoy this space of peace and stability that we have become accustomed to. From fighters, from resistance to lawyers, the founding fathers were a heterogeneous group of people with the same ideal: a united, peaceful and prosperous Europe. In addition to the founding fathers listed below, many others have built and inspired the European project. This section dedicated to founding parents is therefore constantly evolving – for instance, Joseph Bech, Konrad Adenauer and many others.

Konrad Adenauera pragmatic and untiring unifying democrat

• The first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, who was at the head of this new state from 1949 to 1963, changed more than any other post-war leader Germany and the course of European history.

• A cornerstone of Adenauer's foreign policy was the reconciliation with France. His collaboration with French President Charles de Gaulle marked a turning point in the history of Europe: in 1963, France and Germany, once rival, uncontested, signed a friendship treaty that was one of the most important milestones of the European integration.

Joseph Bech

how can a small country play a crucial role in the European integration

• Joseph Bech was the Luxembourg politician who contributed to the founding of the European Coal and Steel Community in the early 1950s and one of the main architects of the European integration at the end of the same decade.

A joint memorandum of the Benelux group of states led to the convening of the Messina Conference in June 1955, paving the way for the creation of the European Economic Community.

A peaceful Europe - the beginnings of cooperation

• The European Union was created to put an end to the great number of bloody wars left by neighboring countries that culminated in the Second World War. Since 1950, European countries have begun to unite economically and politically within the European Coal and Steel Community to ensure lasting peace. The six founding countries are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The 1950s are marked by the Cold War between East and West. In Hungary, the 1956 protest demonstrations against the communist regime are repressed by Soviet tanks. In 1957, the Treaty of Rome led to the foundation of the European Economic Community (EEC), also known as the 'common market'.

1945-1959

An increasing community -the first wave of expansion

• Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom acceded to the European Union on the 1st of January 1973, the number of Member States reaching nine. Although short-lived, the brutal Arab-Israeli war of October 1973 is causing an energy crisis and economic problems in Europe. The last right-wing dictatorships in Europe ended with the fall of the Salazar regime in Portugal in 1974 and the death of General Franco in Spain in 1975. Through its regional policy, the EU is beginning to transfer large sums for job creation and infrastructure development in poorer areas. The influence of the European Parliament on European affairs increases - in 1979, for the first time, European citizens can elect their members by direct vote. The fight against pollution intensifies in the 1970s. The EU adopts environmental protection rules and introduces the 'polluter pays' principle for the first time.

1970-1979

Major changes - the fall of the Berlin Wall

• Polish Solidarność (Solidarity) and its leader, Lech Walesa, become famous in Europe and in the world following the strikes on the Gdansk shipyard in the summer of 1980. In 1981, Greece became the 10th state member of the EU, followed five years later by Spain and Portugal. In 1986, the Single European Act was signed. It is a treaty that sets the basis for a vast six-year program designed to solve the problems of free movement of goods in the EU, thus giving rise to the 'single market'. November 9, 1989 is the date of a major political change: the Berlin Wall falls, and for the first time after 28 years, the borders between the East and the West of Germany are opened. This leads to the reunification of Germany, which takes place in October 1990.

A Europe without frontiers

• With the fall of communism in Central and Eastern Europe, European countries are becoming closer and closer. In 1993, the 'four freedoms' are added to the Single Market: the free movement of goods, services, people and capital. In this decade, two more treaties have been signed: the Maastricht Treaty on the European Union (1993) and the Treaty of Amsterdam (1999). People become concerned about protecting the environment and taking common security and defense measures. In 1995, the EU received three new members: Austria, Finland and Sweden. A small village in Luxembourg, Schengen, gives its name to agreements that will gradually allow Europeans to travel without checking their passports at the border. Millions of young people go to study in other countries with the help of the EU. Communication is becoming more and more easy as mobile phones and the Internet begin to be used.

1990-1999

New expansion

• The euro is the new currency for many Europeans. More and more countries are adopting the euro. September 11, 2001 becomes synonymous with the 'War on Terror' after three line planes are hijacked crashing into New York and Washington buildings, and another hijacked plane crashes into a field. EU countries are stepping up cooperation in the fight against crime. The political divisions between Eastern and Western Europe are finally eliminated by the integration of 10 new countries in the EU, in 2004, being followed by Bulgaria and Romania in 2007. A financial crisis is hitting the world’s economy in September 2008. The Treaty of Lisbon is ratified by all EU Member States before it enters into force in 2009. It provides the European Union with more modern institutions and more efficient working methods.

2000-2009

WEBQUEST 1. The small country that played a crucial role in the European integration is: a. San Marino b. Luxembourg C. Andorra

2. In 1957, the treaty that laid the foundations for the European Economic Community was signed in:

a. Rome b. Maastricht c. Schengen

3.Which countries acceded to the European Union on the 1st of January 1973? a. France, Germany, Italy b. Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands c. Denmark, Ireland, the United Kingdom

WEBQUEST 4. The 10th state member of the EU, in 1981, was: a. Greece b. Portugal c. Romania

5. The reunification of Germany took place in: a. October 1990 b. October 1991 c. October 1992

6. In 2004, ………………… acceded to EU: a. 8 new countries b. 9 new countries c. 10 new countries

WEBQUEST 7. One of the most important milestones of the European integration was the friendship

treaty signed by these countries, once rivals:

a. Poland and Germany

b. Italy and Germany

c. France and Germany

8. The first Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, who changed more than any other the course of modern history was…..

9. The EU values, common to all member states, are…

10. The new currency for many Europeans is…..

WEBOGRAPHYhttp://europa.eu/teachers-corner/age-ranks/ages-15-and-over_enHistory of European Union, Teacher’s corner

THIS PROJECT WAS MADE BY: student KISS ATTILA

student ROBERT VAGNERteacher ADELA NISTOR

ROMANIA