In 1973 they were joined by Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom, in 1981 by Greece and in 1986 by Spain and Portugal. Intergovernmental Conferences on Economic and Monetary Union and Political Union took place from 15 December 1990 to 11 December 1991. At the Maastricht European Council on 9 and 10 December 1991, the Heads of State and Government of the Community countries adopted a Treaty on Political Union, and a Treaty on Economic and Monetary Union, which together form the Treaty on European Union. The Treaty is subject to ratification by all member states. The Treaty on Political Union establishes inter alia a common foreign and security policy governed by specific provisions.
Talks are currently underway with Bulgaria and Romania.
Austria, Cyprus, Finland, Malta, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey have formally applied for membership. The main institutions of the Community are the Council of Ministers, the Commission, the European Parliament and the Court of Justice. The Council consists of one Minister from each member state. It acts mainly on proposals from the Commission, a policy planning and executive body whose 17 members, each appointed for four years by the common consent of the member governments, act in the interests of the Community as a whole. As well as drawing up policy proposals for approval by the Council, the Commission also acts as the guardian of Community laws and ensures their application in all member states.