EU history
EU treaties
This page contains the consecutive treaties and accession treaties (enlargement) of the European Union since the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).
European Councils and Summits
The European Council is the EU institution that defines the general political direction and priorities of the European Union. It consists of the heads of state or government of the member states, together with its President and the President of the Commission. Following the Copenhagen summit in December 1973, which made provision for summits to be held whenever necessary, the Paris summit of December 1974, hosted by President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, created the European Council. The aim was to establish an informal forum for discussion between heads of state or government.
Anniversaries
This section highlights the anniversaries of events that have marked the history of the European Union.
Diplomatic relations
A large number of countries maintain diplomatic relations with the European Union. The formal accreditation of Heads of Mission of third countries to the EU requires the presentation of a letter of credence.The letters of credence must be signed by the Head of State, and two identical originals of the letters must be drawn up, one addressed to the President of the European Council, the other to the President of the European Commission.On the day he/she presents his/her credentials, the appointed Head of Mission proceeds by his/her own means to the audience. No speeches are made during the presentation and the Head of Mission hands over his/her predecessor's letter of recall at the same time as he/she presents his/her credentials.This section presents the viewers with a photo collection of presentations of credentials to the European Commission by Heads of Diplomatic Missions of Third Countries accredited to the European Communities and the European Union since 1958.
European Commissions since 1958
This section contains a series of photo reports presenting past European Commissions (EC) since the first members of the institution took office in 1958. The EC, which is the executive branch of the European Union, was established in 1957 by the Treaties of Rome, and took office on 1 January 1958.
Honorary citizens of Europe
The title of "Honorary Citizen of Europe" is an honour bestowed by the European Council since 1976 for an extraordinary contribution to European unity.
Presidents of the European Commission
The permanent exhibition of portraits of the Presidents of the EC is located on the ground floor of the Berlaymont building of the European Commission.
Pioneers of the European Union
From resistance fighters and Holocaust survivors to politicians and even a movie star, the visionary leaders described in this section inspired the Europe that we know today. Many of them worked to end the horrors of two world wars and to promote peace and solidarity. They were champions of the fundamental values upon which the EU is founded: freedom, democracy and equality, respect for human dignity, human rights and the rule of law, solidarity and protection for all. They helped develop the systems that led to economic stability and the euro and they championed Europe’s rich cultural history and linguistic diversity. This section celebrates their contributions to modern-day Europe. Thanks to their courage and commitment, modern-day Europe is a region of peace and stability.