The European Union (EU) was created after World War II through a series of efforts to integrate Europe. The initial aim was to foster lasting reconciliation between France and Germany, achieve economic growth, and ensure military security.
In 1951, six countries—Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany—signed the Treaty of Paris, establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1952. The ECSC formed a free-trade area for key economic and military resources and established supranational institutions to manage it. Further international treaties and revisions eventually led to the EU’s creation.
The Maastricht Treaty, signed in 1992, officially created the European Union and comprised the European Communities, a common foreign and security policy, and enhanced cooperation in domestic affairs and justice.