• US National Archives and Records Administration

• Academic Info The Cold War – Directory of on-line Resources. Enough to make this page redundant!
• Cold War Museum Hosts virtual exhibitions on several cold-war themes
• Documents Relating to American Foreign Policy: The Cold War A treasure-trove of materials, in chronological order. Hosted by H-Diplo.
• National Security Archive shows the results of a team of lawyers using the 'Freedom of Information Act' to extract archives from the hands of a less-than willing government.... but, before being overly judgemental, reflect that in many Western countries, stuff like this is being shreaded right now.
• NATO on-line Library
• NATO Basic Documents 
• NATO Summits and Ministerial Communiques from 1945 to the present.

Libraries

• The national libraries of Europe

Journals

• Law Journals

Working Papers

• CIAOnet International Affairs (Colombia University)

NOTE: to dowload on-line electronic documents you might need an Acrobat Reader. You can download this free from here.

EU Institutions

• EUObserver
• EurActiv

History of European Integration

• European Navigator from Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance sur l'Europe

United Nations organisations

• FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization)
• IMF (International Monetary Fund)
• WTO (World Trade Organization)
• UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe)

Other Regional Organisations

• Council of Europe
• EFTA
• OECD
• NATO

Online Courses

• Power Point
• Front Page

• The Constitution of the United States
• The Federalist Papers
• Rerum Novarum (1891)
• Quadragesimo Anno (1931)
• Den Haag Congres (1948, documentation)
• Statute of the Council of Europe (1949)

And some further reading

• D.J. Eltzar, “Althusius and Federalism as Grand Design” Rechtstheorie, Vol. 14, Beiheft 16 (1997) 

• The history of the European Union and European citizenship. By HistoriasigloXX.

Briand Plan
(May 1930) Often praised as a first step to European integration, but curiously muted when you look at the text. (Extract)

Atlantic Conference (August 1941)
A selection of full-text documents put on-line by the Avalon Porject. The Charter outlines the principles for the four freedoms.

Official photo on-board the ship where the meeting was held.

Atlantic Charter (1941) Provided the foundation of US-UK postwar collaboration, part of which found itself eventually into the arrangements for the European Recovery Program. (Full Text)

Ventotene Memorandum Towards a Freer and United Europe (1941) Written in prison, provides an early indication of the great federalist Altiero Spinelli’s views of Europe. (Full Text… English translation here)

Anglo-American Mutual Aid Agreement.  
(February 1942) Establishes the basis of defence collaboration between the two countries, Note Article Seven which commits both countries to non-discriminatory commerce, and which will be used by the US to attack UK cartels. (Full Text)

US President Roosevelt (March 1942, extract) announcing the agreement  
The Master Lend-Lease Agreement (February 1942).

Jean Monnet' reflections (August 1943) written whilst with the Free French government in Algiers, on the future of postwar Europe and on the need for a new organisation for heavy industry.

Benelux Monetary Agreement (October 1943) signed by the governments-in-exile of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, it provided for mutual trading credits after the War.

United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agreement (November 1943) makes provision for emergency relief supplies to liberated Europe, and for the repatriation of displaced persons, under UN auspices.  It will be Europe’s main source of supplies for two years following the end of the War. (Full text)

Bretton Woods Agreement (July 1944) Created the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank) and the International Monetary Fund. It also established the rules governing exchange-rate management that prevailed until the system came apart in 1971/73.

Benelux Customes Union Agreement (September 1944) committing the countries to forming a customs union after the War. Realising that goal proved a little more difficult.

Protocol of the Yalta Conference (March 1945)

PHOTO Conference here  

Text Churchill to Truman (May 1945) outlining his worries about the East-West split after the war and using the “iron curtain” phrase that he was to use later in his Fulton speech.

The United Nations Charter (June 1945) providing the umbrella over much of the US-inspired post-war institutional architecture and the framework for ensuring World security.

Photos of some of the delegates by Ralph Bunche.

Churchill’s Speech at Fulton Missouri in which, as the leader of British  the Conservative opposition party, he coined the phrase the “iron curtain” to describe the division of Europe.

Churchill and Truman Churchill and Truman (scroll to near bottom of page)

The introductions and full speech 

Truman Doctrine (March 1947) and here 

Marshall Plan and here (1947) offering US economic assistance for European recovery.

For photo's try www.archives.gov

Entire Speech 

The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (1947) This agreement was to establish the rules of multilateral tariff negotiations, international primary product cartels and customs unions and free trade areas. When the international Trado Organisation failed to materialise, it became the main international trade organisation.  

Brussels Treaty (March 1948)

The “Treaty of Economic Social and Cultural Cooperation and Collective Self-Defence” was signed by France the UK and the Benelux countries and was originally directed against a resurgent Germany. Some argue that it was less a defence agreement than a decleration of incompetence and a signal for US military help.  

European Cooperation Act (April 1948)which gave effect to Marshall Aid by committing the US to economic assistance to Europe and outlining its modalities.

Charter International Trade Organization  (March 1948)   
The ITO as indended as the trade counterpart to the IMF. It was a creation of the US Democratic Administration but fell foul of a protectionist Congress and the indifference of the Republican Eisenhower Administration. Only the GATT agreement survived.

Hague Congress (May 1948)
The Congress was a show-piece of the various pan-European federalist movements and was attended by over delegates, including many prominent statesmen (mostly out of office). Its texts prepared the evental creation of the Council of Europe.

NATO Treaty (April 1949)
This was the "entangling alliance" that many in the US had hoped to avoid, but it formed the basis for Western collevtive security for the duration of the Cold War and beyond. See here for a collection of photos from signing ceremony.

Statute of the Council of Europe (May 1949)  
The Council of Europe represented the confluence of federalist, parliamentarian ambitions and the need of its founders to obtain the unanimity necessary for its creation. The mixture was to prove an almost fatal one.

Signatures on the Treaty 

PHOTO Portrait (and oral history)

NSC-68 (April 1950)
One of the defining documents of the Cold War setting out the US assessment of the effectiveness of a Soviet attack and concluding that, even with the early use of nuclear weapons, most of Western Europe fall to the Russians. The only option was US and European rearmament and the remilitarisation of West Germany.

Schuman Plan (May 1950)  here in French. The surprise announcement in which France proposed pooling its coal and steel resources with those of Germany under a single High Authority, thereby launching Europe’s first supranational community. Would result in the creation of a six country European Coal and Steel Community  (ECSC).

US Call for German rearmament (August-September 1950) A selection of US archive documents compiled by Marc Trachtenberg. Already with NSC-68, the US authorities had decided on the need to rearm Germany. Using the outbreak of the Korean War as a cover, it now made this policy public.

The European Defence Community Treaty (May 1952) establishing a European army and, by implication, a common European security and foreign policy.

The Luxembourg Resolution (September 1952), adopted by the foreign member states of the Six. (ENA)

The Beyen Plan for a customs union within ' The Six'. (ENA)

The Draft Treaty for a European Political Community
In French (May 1953) Responding to French and Italian initiatives, the six EDC countries had decided to advance the clauses clauses for restructuring political control over the EDC on a permanent basis. The task of drafting a treaty was entrusted to European parliamentarians constituted in an Ad Hoc Assembly. This highly federalist treaty was the outcome. It was soon to be unraveled in the subsequent IGC and it died the death when the EDC collapsed. 

President Eisenhowers’s “Atoms for Peace" speech to UN Assembly (December 1953) proposing making US fissionable material available to the World for peaceful uses. It was later to form the basis for  the offer to the Six when they were negotiating the Euratom treaty, thereby robbing the treaty of its main rationale.  

Nine Power Conference (September-October 1954) on German rearmament following the failure of the EDC.

Jean Monnet’s address to the Assembly of the Coal and Steel Community (November 1954).

Statement by the US Depertment of State on US views on European integration (January 1957).

Treaty of Rome (1957) establishing the European Economic Community. The original treaty can be downloaded here in French.

Euratom Treaty (1957) establishing the European Atomic Energy Community. The original treaty can be downloaded from here in French.

Benelux treaty on Economic Union (February 1958) Still hoping to shape developments by staying one step ahead, the Benelux countries agree to strengthening their union. They were soon overtaken by events within the EEC.  

EFTA Convention (January 1960)  

Signed by the Seven (the UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria and Portugal) this was originally intended to be a vehicle for securing a group-to-group agreement with the EEC. With this function blocked, it aquired a more permanent place in Europe’s institutional achitecture, though scarcely was the ink on the treaty dry than the UK began preparing to apply for EEC membership.

Berlin War is built (August 1961)

Fouchet Plan (October 1961) 
A French initiative to improve political and foreign policy cooperation among the Six EEC countries, outside the supranational framework of  the Treaty of Rome. It was vehemently opposed by the Dutch.

De Gaulle’s “non” to British EEC membership  (January 1963). Scroll to items 10 and 12. Extracts in French. The French veto torpedoed British hopes for membership and started a debate, even to today, as to the underlying reasons. It was originally opposed by the other five EEC members, but there was little they could do.

Franco-German Friendship Treaty (January 1963) here in French. A curious episode between two traditional enemies, but even more symbolic when seen in connection with the veto of UK EEC membership.

Merger treaty (1965)
This brought to an end the separate institutional existence of the ECSC and Euratom, though not the specific powers in the original treaties.

Luxembourg Compromise (January 1966). This compromise did  indeed allow unanimous decision-making to remain and it also limited the rights of initiative of the Commission, thereby strengthening the role of the Council of Permanent Representatives. It set the decision-making patterns for the nest two decades. It also resolved the dead-lock of agriculture and community funding.

De Gaulle Press Conference (May 1967) indicating a preference for UK EEC association rather than membership.

De Gaulle Press conference (November 1967)  vetoing the UK EEC Application.

Davignon Report (October 1970) 

Adoption of the Werner Plan (1970) (At ENA, in German and French).

TELEVISION French President Georges Pompidou press conference (1971) and views on a suprantional Europe. (Extract)  

UK, Denmark, Ireland and Norway sign Treaty of Accession (January 1972).

EEC-EFTA Bilateral trade Agreements (July 1972).

Norwegian referendum (September 1972) rejects EEC membership.

European Council holds its first ever meeting in Dublin (March 1975). Major decisions are taken enabling the UK Government to recommend continued membership of the Community.  

Many interesting snippets from the party Conference debate.
Britain’s New Deal in Europe (1975) government pamphlet advising voters to vote for staying in EEC.

Summit is held in Rambouillet, France (November 1975). Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan stress the urgent need for economic recovery in the industrialised countries and express their willingness to intensify international cooperation.

European Council, Rome European Council, Rome (December 1975) decides on the direct election of the European Parliament, on passport union and on a single Community representation for the North-South Dialogue.  

European Council, Luxembourg (April 1976) holds an initial exchange of views on the Tindemans report on the European Union of January 7.

European Council, Brussels (July 1976) agrees on the number and distribution of seats in the Parliament that is to be elected by universal suffrage in 1979 and appoints Roy Jenkins, President of the Commission.

Act on General Elections to the European Parliament  (September 1976) All languages.

European Council, The Hague (November 1976) examines the economic situation and reaffirms commitment to the North-South Dialogue. Issues a statement on the construction of the European Union.  

European Council, Copenhagen (April 1978) agrees on several issues relating to direct elections to the European Parliament.  

European Council, Bremen (July 1978) agrees a common strategy to achieve higher economic growth in order to reduce unemployment. Propose creating a European Monetary System (EMS) for exchange rate stability.  

European Council, Brussels (December 1978) establishes the European Monetary System based on a European currency unit (the ECU) and creates a committee of leading personalities to consider adjustments to institutional mechanisms and procedures in the context of enlargement.

European Council, Paris (March 1979) settles March 13 as the date on which the European Monetary System (EMS) is to enter into force. It also discusses the economic and social situation, the common agricultural policy and energy.

Margaret Thatcher becomes UK Prime-Minister (May 1979).

European Council, Strasbourg (June 1979) agrees to work out a joint energy strategy and examines the problems linked to convergence of economic performances.  

Lomé II (October 1979) signed between EEC and 58 ACP countries.

European Council, Dublin (November 1979) discusses the convergence of economic performances and budgetary questions, the arrangements for examining Committee of Wise Men's report on adjustments to institutional mechanisms and procedures and the proposals for regulation of agricultural markets.  

European Council, Luxembourg (April 1980) discusses the problems linked with convergence and British contribution to the Community budget.  

Greece signs Act of Accession (May 1980).

European Council, Venice (June 1980) Issues declarations on the Middle East, the Euro-Arab dialogue, Lebanon and Afghanistan.

European Council, Luxembourg (December 1980) grants aids to be granted to Italy for reconstruction after the earthquake, and makes statements on East-West relations, on the Middle East and on the aids to be granted to Poland.  

Greece joins EEC (January 1981).

Constantine Karamanlis celebrates Greek Entry.

European Council, Maastricht (March 1981) discusses economic and social perspectives.

European Council, Luxembourg (June 1981) discusses economic and social perspectives and relations between the Community, the USA and Japan.

European Council is held in London (November 1981) discusses communications made by the Commission.

European Council, Brussels (March 1982).

Compromise on CAP prices and UK budgetary contribution (May 1982).

European Council Brussels (June 1982).

European Council, Copenhagen (December 1982) establishes priority objectives in the economic and social fields and confirms political engagement in favour of the enlargement.  

European Council, Brussels (March 1983) confirms the priority objectives set out at the Copenhagen European Council.

European Council, Stuttgart (June 1983) Heads of State or Government and Foreign Ministers sign a Solemn Declaration on the European Union.

The Solemn Declaration on European Union

Altiero Spinelli lecture at the European University Institute (June 1983).

Altiero Spinelli presents to the European Parliament a draft treaty establishing the European Union (September 1983).

European Council, Athens (December 1983) Discusses ways to finance the Commission, the budgetary unbalances, the adaptation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the strengthening of the Structural Funds and the development of new Community policies. Fails to solve the problem of the UK budgetary contribution.

Draft Treaty on the establishment of the European Union (Spinelli draft) is passed by the European Parliament by a large majority (February 1984).

European Council, Brussels (March 1984) Agreements are reached in a number of areas, however, the vast majority can not be finalised given the disagreements on the calculation and the amount of compensation to be granted to the United Kingdom to reduce its contribution to the Community budget.

Multilateral EEC-EFTA ministerial meeting, Luxembourg (April 1984).

Second direct elections to the European parliament (June 1984).

European Council, Fontainebleau (June 1984) reaches an agreement on the amount of compensation to be granted to the United Kingdom to reduce its contribution to the Community budget. It brings to an end an eleven year episode that had poisoned UK-EEC relations.  

European Council, Dublin  (December 1984) decides to reinforce the European Monetary System (EMS) and to enhance the role of the ECU.   

Third ACP-EEC Convention (December 1984) is signed in Lomé  by the 10 Member States of the Community and their 65 partners of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States.

Commission Perspectives for the Common Agricultural Policy (1985).

Greenland’s referendum votes for withdrawal from the EEC (February 1985).

Portugal and Spain sign the Treaty of Accession (March 1985).

European Council, Brussels (March 1985) accepts the adhesion of Spain and Portugal in the Communities and agrees on the Integrated Mediterranean Programmes (IMP) as proposed by the Commission.  

The Commission sends to the European Council a White Paper titled "Completing the Internal Market” (June 1985) COM(85)310.

The Schengen Agreement (June 1985) on the elimination of border controls is signed by Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. 

European Council, Milan (June 1985) approves the Commission's White Paper on the internal market and decide to set up an IGC to consider an institutional reform. 

European Council, Luxembourg (December 1985) agrees to amend the Treaty of Rome and to revitalise the process of European integration by drawing up a Single European Act.

Portugal and Spain join the EEC (January 1986).

Single European Act (February 1986) establishing…. The original treaty can be downloaded from here in French.

European Council, London (December 1986) discusses fight against terrorism, clandestine immigration and drugs trafficking.  

Jacques Delors presents the Single European Act to the European Parliament (February 1987).

Turkey applies for EEC membership (April 1987).

European Council, Brussels (June 1987) examines the various aspects of the communication on the Single Act.

Single European Act enters force (July 1987).

WEU Ministerial Council (October 1987) adopts the “Hague platform”.

Checchini Report (1988) evaluating the costs of a “non-Europe”.

European Council, Brussels (February 1988) reaches agreement onDelors I, a package of measures including CAP reform and cohesion funds. A new frontier for Europe" dossier.

Directive (June 1988) on the free circulation of capital within the EEC by July 1990.

European Council, Hannover (June 1988) stresses out the importance of the social aspects of progress towards the objectives of 1992, comments ondangers threatening the environment and appoints a committee to lead to the monetary union. Reappoints Jacques Delors as President of the Commission.

Commission adopts a working document on the social dimension of the Single market (14 September 1988).

Margaret Thatcher’s Bruges Speech (September 1988) in French.

RADIO European Commission President Jacuqes Delors addresses the UK Trade Union Council (September 1988)  on the social charter - a speech accredited with being instrumental in swinging Labour behind European integration.  

European Council, Rhodes (December 1988) assesses of progress towards 1992, emphasising the significance of work on environmental protection and the importance of developing Europe's audiovisual capacity.

Delors speech (January 1989) to European Parliament proposes "a new, more structured partnership, with common decision-making and administrative institutions" with the EFTA countries.

EFTA Council, Holmenkollen (March 1989) declares EFTA ready to initiate negotiations with the Community leading to "the fullest possible realization of free movement of goods, services, capital and persons, with the aim of creating a dynamic and homogeneous European Economic Space".

Delors Report (April 1989) on the economic and monetary union.

Agricultural compromise between EEC and USA (May 1989).

Third direct elections to European Parliament (June 1989).

European Council, Madrid (June 1989) adopts conclusions on economic and monetary union, emphasises the need for balance to be struck between social and economic aspects of a single market and confirms that the environment is a priority issue. Under political cooperation procedures, it also adopts two major declarations on the situation in the Middle East and China.

Nigel Lawson resigns (October 1989) as UK Chancellor over Thatchers policy towards the ERM.  

Berlin Wall is breached (November 1989).

European Council, Strasbourg  (December 1989) decides to convene an IGC before 1990 to draw up amendment to the Treaty for the final stages of economic and monetary union. Heads of State or Government of 11 Member States adopt the Charter of Fundamental Social Rights of Workers (ie not the UK).

Lomë IV (December 1989) signed between EEC and 69 ACP countries.

Cyprus applies for EEC membership (April 1990).

Mitterand and Kohl urge political union (April 1990).

European Council, Dublin (June 1990) agrees on a common approach on German unification and on the Community relations with Central and Eastern European countries.

EEC-EFTA negotiations on European Economic Area begin (June 1990).

Convention applying the Schengen Agreement (June 1990) here.

Malta applies for EEC membership (July 1990).

German reunification (October 1990).

European Council, Rome (October 1990) finalises the preparation of the two intergovernmental conferences one on Economic and Monetary Union and the other on the aspects of Political Union.

Foreign Minister Geoffrey Howe’s resignation speech to the House of Commons (November 1990).

Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe establishes the Organisation for Security and Cooperation (November 1990). 

European Council, Rome (December 1990) launches two IGCs, one on Economic and Monetary Union, the other on Political Union.  

MacSharry issues two preoposals for CAP reform (1991).

European Council, Luxembourg (June 1991) confirms the need to conduct the proceedings of the two Intergovernmental Conferences, centered on Economic and Monetary Union and on the aspects of Political Union, in parallel on the basis of the draft Treaty prepared by the Presidency.  

Sweden applies for EEC membership (July 1991).

Lichtenstein joins EFTA (September 1991).

Kohl and Mitterand decide on the creation of a Eurocorps (October 1991).

EEA talks between EEC and EFTA concluded (October 1991).

Association agreements between EEC and Visegrad countries (November 1991).

European Council, Maastricht (December 1991) reaches an agreement on the draft Treaty on the European Union.  

European Court ruling (14 December 1991) reopens EEA agreement by declaring that an EEA Court is incompatible with its own competencies under the Treaty of Rome.

Treaty on European Union (February 1992). The original treaty can be downloaded here in French.

Finland applies for EU membership (March 1992).

Treaty of Oporto (May 1992) Creates European Economic Area.

Danish referendum records 50.7% against ratification of Maastricht Treaty (June 1992).

“Black Wednesday”  UK’s departure from the Exchange Rate Mechanism (16 September 1992) after massive speculation against sterling.  

French referendum records 51.4% in favour of ratification of Treaty of Maastricht (Spetember 1992).

European Council, Birmingham (October 1992) adopts a declaration titled "A Community close to its citizens".  

Blair House compromise on agriculture between EEC and USA (November 1992).

Norway applies for EEC membership (November 1992).

Swiss referendum rejects EEA membership (December 1992).

European Council, Edinburgh (December 1992) offers Denmark special arrangements to to hold a second referendum on the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty. It endorses the Delors II package and agrees that accession negotiations with Austria, Sweden and Finland will start on January 1st.  

Single European Act enters force (January 1993).

Danish 56.8% “yes” vote on the Maastricht Treaty (May 1993).

European Council, Copenhagen (June 1993)  instructs the Commission to prepare a White Paper on long-term strategy to promote growth, competitiveness and employment;  confirms that accession of Austria, Finland, Sweden and Norway is to be accomplished by 1995 and it assures associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe that they will become full members as soon as they satisfy the requisite political and economic conditions.

EU agrees to reopen talks with US on agriculture and “culture” within GATT (September 1993).

European Council, Brussels (October 1993) issues a declaration to mark the entry into force of the Treaty on the European Union, confirms that the second phase of economic and monetary union will come into effect on 1 January 1994 and it identifies several matters for joint action to be undertaken by the Union under common foreign and security policy. A decision is also taken on the location of several Community offices and agencies.  

Treaty of Maastricht enters force (November 1993).

EU-USA compromise within GATT (December 1993).

European Council, Brussels (December 1993) draws up an action plan for the short and medium term, based on the Commission's White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment, and an initial action plan in the field of justice and home affairs. It decides to convene a conference to conclude a stability pact for Central and Eastern Europe.  

European Monetary Institute created in Frankfurt (January 1994).

EEA enters force (January 1994).

Hungary applies for EU membership (April 1994).

Poland applies for EU membership (April 1994).

Fourth direct elections to European parliament (June 1994).

European Council, Corfù (June 1994) The main item is the follow-up to the White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment. A new partnership and co-operation agreement between the European Communities, the Member States and Russia is signed.

Austria, Sweden, Finland and Norway sign Treaty of Accession.

Norway 1994 referendum rejects (52.2%) EU membership.

European Council, Essen (December 1994) approves strategy of the White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment with special reference to measures to combat unemployment and create trans-European networks into operation; agrees strategy to bring the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe closer to the Community and reiterates its determination to establish an Euro-Mediterranean partnership. It approves the principle of a multi-annual aid programme for Northern Ireland.

Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU (January 1995).

Customs union agreement signed with Turkey (March 1995).

Association agreement signed with the Baltic States (June 1995).

Association agreement signed with Slovenia (June 1995).

European Council, Cannes (June 1995) An overall agreement on external financing including financing arrangements for the eight European Development Fund (EDF) for Africa, Caribbean Pacific (ACP) States is reached. The transition to a single currency by 1 January 1999 is confirmed.

Europol Convention signed (July 1995).

European Council, Madrid (December 1995) sets March 29, 1996 as the starting date for the IGC and confirms the introduction of the single currency ("euro") for January 1st, 1999.  

Czech Republic applies for EU membership (January 1997).

European Council, Turin (March 1996) opens IGC to revise Maastricht Treaty and lays down guidelines.

Berlin agreements on reform of NATO (June 1996) concede principle of a European defence identity.

Slovenia applies for EU membership (June 1996).

European Council, Florence (June 1996) establishes objectives and agenda of the IGC, endorses Commission plan for eradicating BSE and resolves the problem of the Court of Justice's authority to interpret the Europol Convention.

European Council, Dublin (December 1996) reaches agreement on measures necessary for introduction of the single currency (legal framework, stability pact, new exchange rate mechanism), adopts the Dublin declaration on employment and confirms timetable for the IGC.

European Council, Amsterdam (June 1997) reaches consensus on a draft Treaty. It approves various proposals facilitating the smooth passage to the third phase of the Economic and Monetary Union, adopts a resolution on growth and employment and clears the way for launching the enlargement process.

Commission proposes CAP reforms within context of Agenda 2000 (July 1997).

Treaty of Amsterdam (October 1997) signed. Original french version.

European Council, Cardiff (June 1998) sets out EU strategy for further economic reform to promote growth, prosperity, jobs and social inclusion. It identifies concrete ways of bringing the Union closer to the people, establishes guidelines and time frame for further negotiations on Agenda 2000 and launches a longer term debate on the Union's further development.

Commission Prsident Jacuqes Santer defends Commission in European parliament against charges of fraud and corruption (October 1998).

Launch of the Euro (January 1999) but not the issue of coins (that would have to wait until 2002).

European Parliament, First Report on Allegations regarding Fraud, Mismanagement and Nepotism in the European Commission (March 1999).

European Council, Berlin (March 1999) reaches overall agreement on Agenda 2000. Prodi asked be the President European Commission and two statements on Kosovo are adopted. Other declarations deal with the Middle East peace process and enlargement, and approve the trade and cooperation agreement with South Africa is approved,

Agenda 200: designed to prepare the EU for the next round of enlargement.

European Council, Cologne (June 1999) adopts the first EU common strategy, which concerns Russia, and declarations on Kosovo and on the strengthening of European common foreign and security policy. Javier Solana Madariaga appointed High Representative for the CFSP and Secretary-General of the Council. It also adopts the European Employment Pact, sets out the brief of the forthcoming IGC and decides to lay down an EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.  

Fifth direct elections to Eurpean parliament (June 1999).

European Council, Tampere (October 1999) reached on a number of guidelines and political priorities, in particular relating to the right of asylum, immigration, access to justice and combating crime. Decisions are taken on the procedures for drafting the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights.  

European Council Helsinki, Finland (December 1999) decides to open accession negotiations with Romania, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Malta and to recognise Turkey as an applicant country. It agrees to call an IGC to revise the Treaties in February 2000.

Fourth Ministerial EU-APC Conference, Brussels (February 2000) agrees on the plan of action that is to follow the fourth Lomé convention coming to an end by February.

European Council, Lisbon (March 2000) discusses a new strategy to strengthen employment, economic reform and social cohesion as part of a knowledge-based economy.  

European Council, Santa Maria da Feira (June 2000) The broad economic policy guidelines adopted; Greece's entry into the euro is approved; a common strategy on the Mediterranean region is adopted; an action plan for the northern dimension in external and cross-border policies of the European Union is endorsed and backing is given to the European Union's anti-drugs action plan.

Danish referendum rejects (53%) joining the euro (September 2000).

European Council, Nice (December 2000) confirms that it would like to see the Charter of Fundamental Rights disseminated as widely as possible amongst the Union's citizens. It welcomes accelerating the accession negotiations with the candidate countries and welcomes the progress made in implementing the pre-accession strategy for Turkey. The Council also discusses the European security and defence policy and approves it approves the European Social Agenda. IGC ends with a political agreement on the Treaty of Nice.  

European Council, Stockholm (March 2001) lays down guidelines in order to achieve sustained growth, stable macro-economic conditions and employment-rate targets.  

European Council, Gothenburg (June 2001). Agreement is reached on the framework for the successful completion of the enlargement negotiations, a strategy for sustainable development is approved, broad economic policy guidelines are endorsed and the key principles for securing the long-term sustainability of pension systems are approved. An EU programme for the prevention of violent conflicts is also approved and advances relating to the Union's northern dimension are also achieved.
 
European Council, Laeken (December 2001). Adopts a declaration on the future of the Union paving the way for major reform and plans a convention to prepare the ground for the forthcoming IGC. It also takes decisions to strengthen Europe's in the fight against terrorism, and to conclude negotiations by the end of 2002 with the candidate countries ready for accession in time to take part in the European Parliament elections in 2004. Declarations are adopted on the operational capability of the common European Security and Defence Policy and on the situation in the Middle East.

European Council, Barcelona (March 2002) focuses on economic, social and environmental issues, and gives priority to the interconnection of the European economies at the level of financial markets and energy, transport and communications networks, urging the speedy adoption of legislation for the opening of markets to this end. Reinforces policies on full employment and the development of a competitive knowledge-based economy.

Second Irish referndum on Nice Treaty gives a “yes” vote (October 2002).

EU Draft Constitution (October 2002).

CAP Reforms (June 2003) adopted by Council of Agricultural ministers.

European Convention (July 2003) completed its work with a Draft Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. This is the massive official retrospective site of its work.

Swedish “no” vote in the referendum to join the euro (September 2003).

4 October 2003 Opening of IGC on the Constitution.

May 2004 EU enlarges to 25 members.

• BBC Milestones of the EU  Timeline plus collection of video fragment 
• LeMo Archiv A large and varied sound archive 
• NATO on-line Library
• NATO Basic Documents
• NATO Summits and Ministerial Communiqués from 1945 to the present