Timeline: History

French foreign minister Robert Schuman announced the creation of a European Coal and Steel Community placed under the control of a common high authority. The foundations were laid for the European Union, based on two core principles: peace and solidarity.

• The Schuman Declaration (feature story)

The Paris Treaty establishes the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) which creates a common market for coal and steel. This eases distrust and tensions between neighbouring European countries following World War II. The ECSC treaty, which expired in 2002, is the first founding treaty of the European Community.

The Rome treaties establish the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Economic Energy Community (Euratom). The first meeting of the Council of the EEC takes place on 25 January 1958 under the chairmanship of Victor Larock, the Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister.

Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom join the European Communities, raising the number of member states to nine.

Following the Copenhagen summit in December 1973, which made provision for summits to be held whenever necessary, the Paris summit of December 1974, hosted by President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, creates the European Council. It was created with the intention of establishing an informal forum for discussion between heads of state or government.

• European Council: 50 years of working together

The new European Council meets for the first time in March 1975 in Dublin.

• European Council - Dublin, 10-11 March 1975

Membership of the EU reaches double figures when Greece joins.

The Schengen Agreement on the elimination of border controls is signed by Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands in Schengen (Luxembourg).

The Schengen Agreement will gradually allow people to travel without having their passports checked at internal borders. Implementation of the Schengen Agreement starts later, in 1995.

The European Council formally adopts the flag as the official logo of the European Communities.

The European Council reaches a political agreement opening the way for the adoption of the Single European Act.

• European Council - Luxembourg, 2-3 December 1985

Spain and Portugal join the EU, increasing membership of the European Communities to 12.

The Single European Act (SEA) establishes the internal market, which provides for the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital. It launches foreign policy cooperation and extends the use of qualified majority voting for decision-making within the Council.

• The decision-making process in the Council

The Single European Act also gives the European Council a legal basis, formalising meetings of the heads of state or government.

The 1992 Edinburgh European Council launches public debates, a practice which has been substantially extended over the years, most recently by the Lisbon Treaty.

The Council's public debates and deliberations can today be followed on the website.

• Watch debates and deliberations live

The Maastricht Treaty comes into force creating the European Union based on an enlarged 'Community' pillar. It creates the economic and monetary union and sets two new pillars: common foreign and security policy (CFSP) and cooperation in the fields of justice and home affairs (JHA).

The European Council acquires a formal status in the Treaty of Maastricht. It is defined as providing the impetus and general political guidelines for the EU's development. 

The Maastricht Treaty also starts the move towards the euro and launches Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). 

• How Maastricht changed Europe (feature story)

Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU. The 15 members now cover almost the whole of western Europe.

Since 1996, the European Council meets at least four times a year. Before that, only two meetings a year were required.

The European Council endorses the creation of the Eurogroup, an informal body that brings together the finance ministers of countries whose currency is the euro. The first Eurogroup meeting is held on 4 June 1998 at the Chateau de Senningen in Luxembourg.

• Eurogroup

The Amsterdam Treaty establishes an area of freedom, security and justice, and integrates the Schengen Agreement into EU law. The treaty modifies the role of Secretary-General of the Council, who also becomes High Representative for Common Foreign Security Policy.

On 1 January 2002 the euro starts circulation as banknotes and coins, replacing national currencies.

The Treaty of Nice introduces the reform of EU institutions, in preparation for a future enlarged EU of 27 member states. The Council is reformed to extend the use of qualified majority voting, and to introduce the principle of enhanced cooperation between member states.

Since October 2003, all formal European Council meetings take place in Brussels.

The 22nd declaration of the Treaty of Nice states that all European Council meetings will be held in Brussels once the EU has 18 member states.

Ten new countries join the EU together: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. This is the EU's largest single enlargement in terms of people and number of countries.

There are now 25 EU member states.

Bulgaria and Romania become EU members, bringing the number of member states to 27.

At an informal meeting in Brussels on 19 November 2009, EU heads of state and government unanimously agree to appoint Herman Van Rompuy as the first permanent President of the European Council.

• Statement by Herman Van Rompuy

The Treaty of Lisbon enters into force, reforming the structure of the EU and the way in which it functions.

It extends the use of qualify majority voting at the Council.

The European Council becomes a fully-fledged institution with its own President. Previously, the European Council had been an informal body and the head of the European Council was an unofficial position. The role was held by the head of state or government of the member state holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU. 

• The role of the President of the European Council
• The Lisbon Treaty: Shaping the EU as we know it (visual story)

For the last time, the European Council meeting is chaired by a president or prime minister of the member state holding the rotating Council presidency.

The December 2009 European Council is chaired by the Prime Minister of Sweden, Fredrik Reinfeldt.

• European Council conclusions - Brussels, 10-11 December 2009

At the European Council meeting on 1-2 March 2012, 25 European leaders sign the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (TSCG).  

The treaty enters into force on 1 January 2013 and formalises the Euro Summit. The organisation of the Euro Summit and the role of its President are set out in its article 12.

• The Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance (TSCG)

Herman Van Rompuy is elected for a second term as President of the European Council, from 1 June 2012 to 30 November 2014.

The EU receives the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize for advancing the causes of peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.

When awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to the EU, the Norwegian Nobel Committee says its decision is based on the stabilising role the EU has played in transforming most of Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace.

Croatia becomes the second country from ex-Yugoslavia to join the EU, after Slovenia. 

The EU now has 28 member states.

Donald Tusk replaces Herman Van Rompuy as President of the European Council. His term runs from 1 December 2014 to 31 May 2017.

• Remarks by President Tusk at the handover ceremony, 1 December 2014
• Biography of Donald Tusk, President of the European Council

Donald Tusk has been re-elected as President of the European Council for a second term of two and a half years, from 1 June 2017 to 30 November 2019.

• Donald Tusk re-elected president of the European Council (press release, 09/03/2017)

After the outcome of the UK referendum on 23 June 2016, in which the UK citizens voted to leave the European Union, the UK formally notified to the European Council its intention to leave the EU. 

The European Council adopted a statement on the UK notification.   

We regret that the United Kingdom will leave the European Union, but we are ready for the process that we now will have to follow. (...) In these negotiations the Union will act as one and preserve its interests. Our first priority will be to minimise the uncertainty caused by the decision of the United Kingdom for our citizens, businesses and member states.

European Council, 29 March 2017

• The Article 50 notification letter, 29/03/2017
• EU relations with the United Kingdom (background information)

Charles Michel replaces Donald Tusk as President of the European Council. His term runs from 1 December 2019 to 31 May 2022.

• Speech by President Charles Michel at the handover ceremony with the outgoing President Donald Tusk

Following a national referendum on 23 June 2016 and the ratification of the withdrawal agreement by both parties in January 2020, the United Kingdom leaves the European Union.

Charles Michel was re-elected President of the European Council for a second term of two and a half years, from 1 June 2022 to 30 November 2024.

• Charles Michel re-elected President of the European Council (press release, 24 March 2022)

António Costa replaces Charles Michel as President of the European Council. His term runs from 1 December 2024 to 31 May 2027.

• Speech by President António Costa at the handover ceremony with the outgoing President Charles Michel