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MATSEC SEC European Studies study materials
MATSEC SEC European Studies study resources

MATSEC SEC European Studies: European History and Integration

MATSEC SEC European Studies · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

All guide sections

European History and Integration

The exam tests chronology, the content of each treaty, and the logic of enlargement: candidates must explain why integration happened, not simply recite dates.

Milestones and their content

  • 1950: the Schuman Declaration of 9 May proposes pooling coal and steel.
  • 1951 Treaty of Paris: ECSC, with six founders (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands), in force 1952.
  • 1957 Treaties of Rome: EEC and Euratom, in force 1958, creating a customs union and common market.
  • 1965 Merger Treaty: one Commission and one Council for the three communities.
  • 1986 Single European Act: internal market by 1992, more qualified majority voting, cooperation procedure.
  • 1992 Maastricht, in force 1 November 1993: creates the EU on three pillars, plans the single currency, introduces EU citizenship, CFSP and subsidiarity.
  • 1997 Amsterdam; 2001 Nice, which adjusted institutions for enlargement; 2007 Lisbon, in force 1 December 2009: single legal personality, permanent European Council President, High Representative, ordinary legislative procedure, binding Charter.

Enlargement waves

1973 (Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom), 1981 Greece, 1986 Spain and Portugal, 1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden, 2004 ten states including Malta and Cyprus, 2007 Bulgaria and Romania, 2013 Croatia.

Worked example

In which treaty did the European Parliament first gain a veto over legislation? Reasoning: the co-decision procedure was created at Maastricht, giving the Parliament the power to reject a Council position in the areas listed; Amsterdam simplified and extended it, and Lisbon renamed it the ordinary legislative procedure. Answer: Maastricht, limited to specified policy areas.

Traps

  • Confusing signature dates with entry into force (Maastricht signed February 1992, in force November 1993).
  • Calling the EEC the EU before 1993.
  • Assuming the United Kingdom was a founder member.
  • Saying Lisbon created the euro: Maastricht set the timetable, notes and coins arrived in 2002.
  • Believing the ECSC still exists: its treaty expired in 2002.