Milestones Of EU

France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the UK sign the Brussels Treaty agreeing on military assistance, economic, social and cultural cooperation.

A year later the same countries set up the Council of Europe - a forum for all European countries to discuss informal co-operation.

1951: THE FÝRST STEP: SCHUMAN'S VÝSÝON

The "Six" - France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands - sign the Treaty of Paris establishing the European Coal and Steel Community which comes into force in 1954.

The treaty is based on French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman's 1950 declaration that coal and steel resources should be pooled to avoid European countries waging war on one another.

The key European institutions also emerge at this time. The High Authority - which will later become the European Commission - is set up with Jean Monnet, the inspiration for the Schuman declaration, as its president. The treaty also establishes the Common Assembly - later the European Parliament - as well as the Council of Ministers and the Court of Justice.

A year later the Six also sign the Eu

The EU takes its first steps eastwards and opens negotiations with six countries hoping to join the union.

"Enhanced co-operation" is given the go-ahead, allowing fast-track countries to press ahead with new policies without waiting for other members.

Applicants negotiate conditions for accepting the body of European laws, also known as the acquis communautaire. Most importantly for the candidates, the negotiations decide in which areas of the law they may be granted opt-outs, allowing them to phase in reforms more slowly.

Candidate countries, who also attend the conference, say it is a big step towards enlargement but Commission President Romano Prodi is disappointed.

The Ecu - originally a unit for the community's internal budget - takes on some of the characteristics of a real currency and is used, for example, in travellers' cheques and bank deposits.

Laws on employment and discrimination are strengthened and the social chapter of the Maastricht treaty becomes an official part of EU law.

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