How did the European Economic Community lead to the European Union?

The European Economic Community (EEC) served as the foundational economic pillar that evolved into the European Union (EU). Established by the 1957 Treaties of Rome, the EEC created a common market that eliminated trade barriers and fostered deep economic integration among its member states.12

The transition to the EU was a gradual process of institutional and policy expansion:

• Institutional Consolidation: In 1965, the Brussels Treaty merged the executive bodies of the EEC, the European Coal and Steel Community, and Euratom into a single commission and council, creating the "European Communities".1
• Renaming and Integration: In 1993, the EEC was renamed the European Community (EC).12
• The Maastricht Treaty: Signed in 1992 and effective in 1993, the Maastricht Treaty formally established the European Union. It expanded the scope of cooperation beyond economics to include common foreign and security policies, policing, and the creation of a central banking system and the euro.3

By 2009, with the Lisbon Treaty, the European Community was fully absorbed into the EU framework, solidifying the organization's supranational authority.12