See also:

• European Union policies
• The coordination of European Union issues in Estonia
• Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)
• Institutions of the European Union

THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND ITS HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

The European Union is a unique form of international political cooperation. It is not a federal state or an international organisation, but it includes elements from both. After World War II, the purpose of joining Europe economically was to avoid new wars, whereas later on, the key argument has been the economic advantages and Europe's international position.

The history of the European Union goes back to 1958, when the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (or the Treaty of Rome) and the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) entered into force. The European Union in its present form was established with the Maastricht Treaty that entered into force in 1993.

The chronology of Europe's integration after World War II