History of European Union in dates

• 1957

The countries signed the Treaties of Rome, mentions in its preamble the need "to strengthen the unity of their economies and ensure harmonious development by reducing the diferences, which exist between different regions and catching the most disadvantaged regions.

• 1958

Establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom)

• 1975

Establishing a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to redistribute part of the budgetary contributions of Member States to lagging regions

• 1986

The Single European Act establish one real cohension policy, designed to counter the weight of the single market for southern countries and other most favored regions.

• 1989 – 1993

Europen Council in Brussels (February 1988) review the functioning of joint funds (noe called „structural funds) and gave them 68 billion ECU (in 1997 prices)

• 1992

The Treaty on European Union is signed at Maastricht. It comes into force on 1 November 1993, regarded as an approximation of the main objectives of the European Union, with  economic and monetary union and a common market. It established the Cohesion Fund to finance projects in the field of environment and transport in the most disadvantaged Member States.

• 1994 – 1999

Edinburgh European Council (December 1992) granted nearly 200 billion ECU (in 1997 prices), one third of the Community budget for cohesion policy. Structural Funds  established a new Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG). The Berlin European Council (March 1999) reforms the Structural Funds and change in particul the functioning  of the Cohesion Fund. These funds receive over 30 billion per year in a period between 2000-2006, or 213 billion euro for these seven years. In addition to the program PHARE, existing since 1989, is created Instrument for Structural Policies for Pre-Accession (ISPA) and the Special Accession Programme for agriculture and rural development (SAPARD), in order to improve economic,  social development and environmental protection in the countries which are candidate of Central and Eastern Europe

• 2000 - 2001

The Lisbon European Council (March 2000) draws up a new strategy for boosting employment in the EU, modernising the economy and strengthening social cohesion in a knowledge-based Europe. Gothenburg Council (June 2001 .) complete this strategy -  commits to sustainable development

• 2002

The Copenhagen European Council (December 2002) agrees that 10 of the candidate countries (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia) can join the EU

• 2004

1 of May Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia join the European Union

• 2007

1 January Bulgaria and Romania join the European Union