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Treaty
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Summary |
In force |
| European Coal & Steel Community (ECSC) Treaty (Treaty of Paris, signed April 1951) |
Concluded for 50 years among the Six on the basis of the Schuman Plan: allowed to lapse in July 2002 |
July 1952 |
| European Economic Community (EEC) Treaty (Treaty of Rome, signed March 1957) |
Concluded on the model of the ECSC Treaty but with a much broader range of objectives - the most important of the Treaties |
January 1958 |
| European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom) Treaty (also signed in Rome, March 1957) |
A sector-specific Treaty of limited application |
January 1958 |
| Treaty establishing a Single Council and a Single Commission of the European Communities (Merger Treaty, signed April 1965) |
- Amended the ECSC, EEC (Treaty of Rome) and Euratom Treaties to create a Council & a Commission serving all 3 Communities.
- Repealed by the Treaty of Amsterdam
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July 1967 |
| Treaty amending certain Budgetary Provisions of the Treaties establishing the European Communities (and the Merger Treaty) (Treaty of Luxembourg, 1970) |
Laid down a new procedure for settling the Budget & introduced the system of "own resources" |
1971 |
| Treaty amending certain Financial Provisions of the Treaties establishing the European Communities (and of the Merger Treaty) (1975) |
Refined the budgetary procedure to give the European Parliament more power and set up the Court of Auditors |
1978 |
| Act concerning the election of the representatives of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage (European elections, 1976) |
The basis for the 1st (1979) & subsequent European elections |
1978 |
| Single European Act (signed February 1986) |
- Amended & expanded the EEC Treaty (Treaty of Rome), most importantly by extending the scope of QMV.
- Laid down new procedures for foreign policy cooperation
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July 1987 |
| Maastricht Treaty (Treaty on European Union; signed February 1992) |
- Established the 3-pillared EU.
- Amended & expanded the EEC Treaty (Treaty of Rome), renamed the EEC as the "European Community" (1st pillar) - leading to the EC Treaty or Treaty of the European Community (TEC).
- Created the 2nd and 3rd "pillars" of the CFSP and JHA
- Created the co-decision procedure.
- Economic and Monetary Union and the Social Chapter.
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November 1993 |
| Treaty of Amsterdam (signed October 1997) |
- Amended the Maastricht Treaty.
- Extended co-decision.
- Added new provisions on social policy.
- Incorporated the Schengen Agreement into the EC Treaty.
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May 1999 |
| Treaty of Nice (signed February 2001) |
- Amended the Maastricht Treaty.
- Modified provisions on suspensions & flexibility.
- Adjusted institutions in "Protocol on the Enlargement of the EU"
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February 2003 |
| Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe (signed October 2004), the Constitutional Treaty |
- The assumption by the EU of legal personality.
- The strengthening of the European Council under an elected president.
- EU foreign minister.
- Incorporation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights as legally binding text.
- Increased EU powers over employment, economic & social policy, justice & criminal policy & foreign affairs.
- Abolition of the "pillar" structure.
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Rejected in referenda |
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Treaty of Lisbon (signed December 2007), the Reform Treaty
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- The assumption by the EU of legal personality.
- The strengthening of the European Council under an elected president.
- EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
- Incorporation of the Charter of Fundamental Rights as legally binding text (the UK claims to have an opt-out, though this will likely be ineffectual).
- Increased EU powers over employment, economic & social policy, justice & criminal policy & foreign affairs.
- Abolition of the "pillar" structure.
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Aim to be in force by January 2009
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