Europe, The European Union and Present Currencies
The idea of united Europe dates back in 1950, when European countries were getting tired of all the hatred and wars raging across the continent. On May 9, 1950, European diplomats officially discussed that utopian idea as a necessity for peace and equality between the countries. As a result, Robert Schuman proposed establishing a European Coal and Steel Community, according to which, countries would share coal and steel resources. On April 18 1951, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands signed the treaty and established ECSC.
Later on, more agreements were signed, and changes were made to the pact to improve the countries’ finances, safety, control and satisfaction.
In 1957, in Rome, the six countries established the European Economic Community (EEC), which became active on January 1, 1958.
On February 7, 1992, in Maastricht, the Netherlands, the members of the EEC signed the Maastricht Treaty, or Treaty on European Union. That was the beginning of the European Union–a new stage in the European integration. Months before the treaty became active, on January 1, 1993, the single market was created to eliminate trade restrictions between the members, which led to better standards of living. The Treaty officially came into effect on November 1, 1993, and set common foreign and security policy and closer cooperation on justice. It also implemented the ideas of European citizenship and Parliament, economic and monetary union (EMU).
Several events led to changes in the Community’s initial objectives, such as the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the German reunification. The Treaty of Maastricht brought the Community to a level that was not originally planned.
Currently, the EU objectives are to provide peace, stability, unity, prosperity, safety, balanced economic and social development, as well as to preserve the European diversity in times of globalization.
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[...] Europe [...]