Into the Wind

Second European elections

European elections take place for the second time. Voters elect 434 members of the European Parliament from 10 countries. Socialists get about 30% of the seats and widen the gap with the centre-right EPP (25%).

Pierre Pflimlin

Pierre Pflimlin served as President of the European Parliament from 1984 to 1987.

EP report on European Union

The European Parliament adopts a draft treaty on European Union, authored by Italian MEP Altiero Spinelli. The federalist vision in the report inspires future talks on revisions to the founding treaties.

Enlargement: Spain & Portugal

Spain and Portugal join in the “Iberian enlargement”.

Henry Plumb

Henry Plumb, Baron Plumb served as President of the European Parliament from 1987 to 1989, the only Briton to hold the post.

Single European Act

The Single European Act formulates the objective of creating a single market by removing barriers and harmonising standards.

It introduces the cooperation and assent procedures that for the first time give the EP a real say on legislation, and makes the name “European Parliament” official.

Sakharov Prize

The Parliament establishes the annual Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to honour people and groups from all over the world fighting for human rights.

South African anti-apartheid activist and future president Nelson Mandela and late Soviet dissident Anatoly Marchenko are the first laureates.

Fall of the Berlin Wall

After weeks of civil unrest, the East German authorities open the crossing of the Berlin Wall in an act that symbolises the end of communist rule in Eastern Europe.

Enrique Barón Crespo

Enrique Barón Crespo served as President of the European Parliament from 1989 to 1992.

3rd European elections

In the third elections for the European Parliament a total of 518 MEPs from 12 countries are elected. The Socialists get more seats than anyone else (about 35%).

Reunification of Germany

East Germany is reunified with the Federal Republic of Germany. Parliament welcomes 18 non-voting observers to represent the new German provinces until elections in 1994.

2nd round of acquisitions

Continuation of the 2nd round of acquisitions: Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Greece.

Wars in former Yugoslavia

Slovenia and Croatia declare independence from Yugoslavia. Tensions between the nations that have been part of the collapsing federation lead to violent wars for much of the following decade despite peace-making efforts by Western powers.

2nd round of acquisitions

Continuation of the 2nd round of acquisitions: Greece and France.

Egon A. Klepsch

Egon A. Klepsch served as President of the European Parliament from 1992 to 1994.

2nd round of acquisitions

Continuation of the 2nd round of acquisitions: Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

Maastricht Treaty

The Maastricht Treaty paves the way for the creation of the European Union and the euro. It introduces the codecision procedure giving Parliament an equal say with the Council in some areas of legislation and gives Parliament the power to approve the Commission as a whole.

Continuation of the 2nd round of acquisitions: the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Enlargement

Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU bringing the number of member states to 15.

José María Gil-Robles

José María Gil-Robles served as President of the European Parliament from 1997 to 1999.

Signature of Amsterdam Treaty

Signing of the Amsterdam Treaty. The Treaties establishing the European Communities and a few related acts were signed in the presence of the President of the European Parliament, José María Gil-Robles.

Belfast Agreement

The signing of the ‘Good Friday’ or ‘Belfast Agreement’ between the Irish and the British governments led to the end of 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland.

1999 European elections

Voters from 15 EU countries go to the polls to elect 626 MEPs. The centre-right EPP-ED becomes the largest political group for the first time.

Nicole Fontaine

Nicole Fontaine served as President of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2002.

EURO

The euro was introduced to world financial markets as an accounting currency on 1 January 1999, replacing the former European Currency Unit (ECU).

Amsterdam Treaty

The Amsterdam treaty simplifies and broadens the application of the codecision lawmaking procedure. Parliament gets the right to approve the Commission president.

Charter of Fundamental Rights

The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU is solemnly proclaimed after having been drafted by a European convention with the active involvement of MEPs.

Article 13.
Freedom of the arts and sciences. The arts and scientific research shall be free of constraint. Academic freedom shall be respected.

Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2000/C 364/01)

Acquisition programme

3rd round of acquisitions with Austria, Finland and Sweden.

National parliaments exhibiton in Brussels and Strasbourg. This exhibition was created at the initiative of President Gil Robles and was officially opened on 17 December 2001 by the then President Nicole Fontaine. It consists of works of art donated or loaned by 15 national parliaments.

Pat Cox

Pat Cox served as President of the European Parliament from 2002 to 2004.

Euro is launched

Euro notes and coins come into circulation – a crucial stage in the construction of an economic and monetary union in Europe.

Treaty of Nice

The Treaty of Nice reforms EU institutions to allow for the EU enlargement to Eastern Europe. It further extends the application of codecision.

2004 European elections

Elections for the European parliament take place in 25 member states. The centre-right EPP-ED win 37% of the 736 seats.

Josep Borrell

Josep Borrell served as President of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2007.

Eastern enlargement

Ten countries, mostly from Eastern Europe, join the EU in the largest enlargement so far: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.