Main treaties of the European Union

Abstract

The article summarizes the main treaties of the European Union, which in one way or another had a significant impact on its development. It was found that after the end of the Second World War, European leaders decided to protect themselves by uniting into a community. Thus, the first treaty where six states united to create a common coal and steel market was Paris Treaty, which was signed in 1951. Its purpose was to create interdependence of states in coal and steel, so that one state could no longer mobilize its armed forces without the knowledge of the others. This is one of the few treaties that has expired. The following treaties, which became the basis of the European integration movement in Europe, became the Rome Treaties concluded in 1957. As a result, the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community were created. Later, in 1965, the Merger Treaty was signed, the main purpose of which was to streamline the work of European institutions. This agreement has also expired. It was also found that the Single European Act of 1986 reformed the work of the EU institutions in the framework of the Alliance’s preparation for the accession of Portugal and Spain, as well as to speed up the decision-making process in preparation for the creation of the single market. In addition, it was analysed that the Maastricht Treaty was concluded in 1992, which established the modern structure of the EU. In addition, the main purpose of this Treaty is to prepare the European Union for the creation of a monetary union, as well as to introduce the elements of a political union (citizenship, common foreign and domestic policy). Another no less important treaty was concluded in 1997, which was called the Amsterdam Treaty. This Treaty was intended to prepare the EU institutions for future enlargement. It was revealed that in 2001, during the signing of the Nice Treaty, the EU member states determined the need to reform the institutions of the European Union for the purpose of their effective functioning after the expansion to 25 states, to review the system of chairmanship in the Council of the EU. In addition, the last treaty, the main goal of which was to make the EU more democratic, more efficient and capable of solving global problems, was the Lisbon Treaty signed in 2007.