After the Second World War, several countries decided to associate in order to stop conflicts and wars between European countries. In 1957, six countries founded the European Common Market (Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg). From this time on, new countries have become members. Spain joined in 1986.

In 1957, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and France signed the Treaty of Rome and established the European Economic Community (EEC). A common market was created to make trade easier among these countries.

In 1992, the members of the European Economic Community signed the Treaty of Maastricht and the EEC became the European Union (EU). In 2009, the Treaty of Lisbon was signed. This treaty amended the two previous treaties of the EU. 

The EU has promoted democracy and unity among the European people, supported economic development and improved the living conditions of its citizens.

In recent years, within some of its member states, new parties with anti-European ideologies have burst onto the political scene and are gaining support among citizens. 

The current population of the European Union is aging. For this reason, the arrival of immigrants becomes a necessity to maintain economic and population growth. However, not all member countries agree with these measures (like the Visegrad group), giving rise to xenophobic and anti-European movements.

Sustainable development requires the preservation of natural resources and respect for human and social rights. Climate action is an important aspect, as the need to limit and mitigate the effects of climate change becomes increasingly urgent, and the EU is committed to gradually reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.

The Maastricht Treaty already contemplated the principle of cohesion between member states of the European Union, through a common policy. The EU has developed a Regional Policy to favor the advancement of less strong member countries. But as of today, the EU has not yet solved the economic and social inequality between member states.

The eurozone is formed by those member countries who have adopted the euro as the single currency. There are 18 countries including Spain.

After the Second World War (1939-1945), several European countries decided to create an international organisation with two objectives: to consolidate peace and to compete economically as a bloc with other world economies.

• In 1951, six European countries (Belgium, France, Italy, West Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) created the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).
• In 1957, they signed the Treaties of Rome, which established the European Economic Community (EEC).
• Other European countries joined the EEC afterwards. For example, the United Kingdom and Ireland joined in 1973, and Spain in 1986.
• In 2016, the United Kingdom votes in a referendum to leave the EU.  The United Kingdom left the EU definitively in December 2020 after long negotiations between the EU and the UK in order to set the economic conditions for the ‘Brexit’.

• In 1993, the Maastricht Treaty came into force and the EEC became the European Union (EU).
• In 2002, the official European currency, the euro, came into circulation in the eurozone.
• In 2009, the Treaty of Lisbon came into force to reform the institutions of the EU. It established the Charter of Fundamental Rights for all EU citizens.

The European Union faces important challenges after the Brexit and COVID-19 crisis:

• Stop the spread of anti-European political parties.
• Establish a common immigration policy.
• Promote sustainable growth.
• Reduce internal differences.