1957
The six countries in the Coal and Steel community signed a treaty and created the European Economic community.
1979
The first European Parliament elections take place and the Single European Currency Unit was introduced (later to become the Euro)
15 June 1987
The EU launches the ‘Erasmus’ programme to fund university students wishing to study for up to a year in another European country. More than 2 million young people have benefited from this and similar EU schemes.
1989
The Berlin wall opens. East Germans can now travel to West Germany via Berlin.
Spain takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.
1995
Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU. The 15 members now cover almost the whole of western Europe.
2004 Eight more countries join the Czech
Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.
The 25 EU countries sign a Treaty.