Europe building together!.
Date: 2019-07-24
Institutions: Directorate-General for Communication
Subjects: EU Member State, European Communities, European Union, European symbol, European treaties, history of Europe, promotion of the European idea

EUROPE 
Building together!

EN

2

CONTENTS

HISTORY OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION 
Remembering our roots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  4

EUROPEAN TREATIES 
Signing agreements  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

EUROPEAN SYMBOLS 
Affirming our diversity  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE 
Understanding our common area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

FUTURE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 
Looking to the future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

3

WAR

HISTORY OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION 
Remembering our roots

The origins of the Europe we know today go way, 
way back.

To understand what Europe does for us today, 
it’s important to know how it began.

The first attempts …
Some people, like Charlemagne and Napoleon, 
tried to combine all the countries of Europe into 
a single nation. But back then Europe was mostly 
formed as a result of bloody wars.

In the 20th century two wars broke out on the 
continent of Europe and then spread to the whole 
world. That’s why they are called world wars.

The First World War took place between 1914 
and 1918, and around 20 years later the Second 
World War began.

Did you know that the name ‘Europe’ 
comes from Greek mythology?

Europa was a beautiful princess who 
lived in Tyre, on the Asian coast of the 
Mediterranean (Lebanon). Zeus, the king of 
the gods, fell in love with her. He seduced 
her and took her to Greece. They had three 
children and it was from the princess that 
the continent got its name: Europe.

Napoleon

1769

Charlemagne

742

4

The Second World War
After the Second World War, in 1945, Europe was 
in ruins.

Because of that awful war, which lasted 5 years, 
20 million children were orphaned, roads were 
completely destroyed, and people died of 
hunger and fled their countries. It was complete 
devastation. Everything had to be rebuilt.

Two blocs in disagreement
After 1945 peace returned to Europe, but Europe 
was divided into two blocs: eastern Europe and 
western Europe. The dividing line ran through 
Germany.

So Germany was divided into two countries: East 
Germany and West Germany.

The lives of the people on either side were very 
different.

How did people live peacefully in the 
West in spite of everything?
And what does this have to do with the European 
Union, you might ask …?

On 9 May 1950 a French statesman, Robert 
Schuman, had an ingenious idea: West Germany 
and France would work together in the coal and 
steel industries. That meant that they would 
never again think of going to war against 
each other.

Western Europe began to rebuild itself in peace.

Without drawing them, name some 
objects that can be made from steel.

Second World 
War

1939-1945

First World War

1914-1918

5

The European Coal and Steel 
Community
Very soon other countries got involved in the 
coal and steel project: Belgium, Luxembourg, the 
Netherlands and Italy.

On 18 April 1951 these six countries signed 
a text called a ‘treaty’ establishing the European 
Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). Another step 
towards peace!

The fathers of Europe
But building a united Europe wasn’t going to 
be easy. It needed truly committed politicians 
to back the idea and turn it into a real common 
project. Today when we talk about them we call 
them the ‘founding fathers’. Who are they?

‣ Match the countries to the founding 
fathers.

Robert Schuman

Alcide De Gasperi

Joseph Bech

Johan Willem Beyen

Konrad Adenauer

Paul-Henri Spaak

Jean Monnet

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

A

B

C

D

E

F

WEST 
GERMANY

LUXEMBOURG

NETHERLANDS

ITALY

FRANCE

BELGIUM

 ‣ Answers

5A - 3B - 4C - 2D - 7E - 1E - 6F

6

ECSC 

1951

The European Economic Community 
(EEC)
Following on from coal and steel, the six 
countries decided to set up a large market 
without borders. In 1957 they created the 
European Economic Community (EEC). ‘Economic’ 
means that it relates to money, business, work 
and trade.

The economy got back on track. The war seemed 
very far away. Western Europe was at peace.

The Berlin Wall (see map on p. 9)
Do you remember how, after the 
Second World War, Europe was divided 
into two blocs that couldn’t get along?

In 1961 East Germany built a wall that 
divided the city of Berlin into East Berlin 
and West Berlin. The people living there 
could no longer get from the East to the 
West. The Berlin Wall was the symbol of 
the Cold War, the separation between 
the East (communist) and the West 
(capitalist).

In the East the state owned and 
organised everything: farming and 
industrial production, and the distribution 
of goods. In the West the people were 
free, they could express themselves, 
set up a business, travel, choose their 
leaders and vote.

Berlin Wall

1961

EEC 

1957

7

The first enlargements
Western Europe was growing and other countries 
wanted to join the original six members of 
the EEC. In 1973 Denmark, Ireland and the 
United Kingdom became members. Then the 
enlargement towards the south of Europe 
started, with Greece joining in 1981, followed by 
Spain and Portugal in 1986.

United 
Kingdom

1973

Ireland

1973

Denmark

1973

Netherlands

Belgium

West 
Germany

Luxembourg

The EEC

France

Spain

1986

Portugal

1986

Italy

Greece

1981

FOUNDING COUNTRIES

ENLARGEMENT OF EUROPE

8

The fall of the Wall
In 1989 a very important event took place 
at the heart of the European continent. East 
Europeans were reunited with west 
Europeans.

The Berlin Wall that had separated them both 
physically and symbolically was gone. Thousands 
of Berliners tore down the Wall and joined their 
fellow countrymen: Germany was reunified. There 
was a huge celebration among the people of 
Europe.

This event marked the end of communism 
in Germany and, over the years, many east 
European countries gradually joined the European 
Union.

GDR East 
Germany

FRG West 
Germany

BERLIN

French 
sector

British  
sector

Soviet 
sector

American 
sector

Berlin Wall

Fall of the 
Berlin Wall

1989

9

Birth of the European Union
In 1992, through the Maastricht Treaty, the 
European Economic Community became the 
European Union (EU).

The successive enlargements
Between 1995 and 2013, 16 countries joined 
the European Union. There are now 28 Member 
States.

Today the European Union 
has more than 510 million 
inhabitants, more than the 
United States and Japan 
combined!

± 326 MILLION 
INHABITANTS

± 125 MILLION 
INHABITANTS

Maastricht Treaty

1992

Austria

Finland

Sweden

1995

> 510 MILLION 
INHABITANTS

10

EUROPEAN TREATIES 
Signing agreements

The treaties
Whether in a playground or in Europe itself, the 
more people there are, the harder it is to agree 
on something. And everyone wants to defend 
their own ideas.

So we have to talk in order to find solutions. 
These solutions are set out in ‘treaties’.

A treaty is an agreement concluded and 
signed by the Heads of State or Government of 
the EU’s Member States. In some ways it’s like 
the EU’s operating instructions.

Seven major treaties have been agreed so far. 
In general, they’re named after the city in which 
they were signed. The most recent was the 
Treaty of Lisbon.

How to join the European Union
Any European country can ask to join 
the European Union, but there are some 
conditions:

—  the country must be a democracy — 
the leaders must be elected by the 
people through a vote;

—  the country must respect human 
rights, freedom of the press and 
freedom of expression;

—  the country’s economy must be 

performing well;

—  the country must respect all European 

decisions and laws.

Cyprus

Czechia

Estonia

Hungary

Latvia

Lithuania

Malta

Poland

Slovakia

Slovenia

2004

Treaty of Lisbon

Bulgaria

Romania

2007

Croatia

2013

11

EUROPEAN SYMBOLS 
Affirming our diversity

The EU flag
The European Union’s flag is blue with a circle of 
12 gold stars.

The EU anthem
The European anthem is ‘Ode to joy’, taken from 
the Ninth symphony of the famous German 
composer Ludwig van Beethoven.

It has no words but evokes the ideals of 
freedom, peace and solidarity the EU 
represents.

The EU motto 
‘In varietate concordia’
The European Union’s motto, first adopted in 
2000, means ‘United in diversity’.

This motto reflects the way in which the 
European Union has been formed, enriching 
itself through the continent’s diverse cultures, 
traditions and languages.

9 May — Europe Day
Europe Day is celebrated on 9 May and 
commemorates the Schuman Declaration of 
1950, which is when European integration truly 
began. On Europe Day all of the EU institutions 
open their doors to the public.

Europe Day

9 May

12

GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPE 
Understanding our common area

When we talk about Europe, we can mean 
different things.

Europe is first and foremost a continent. 
Continents are large expanses of land sometimes 
separated by oceans.

The continent of Europe is made up of many 
countries or territories. Twenty-eight of these 
countries have decided to be part of a common 
area known as the European Union.

And some of those EU countries have decided to 
use a single currency: the euro. They are part 
of the ‘euro area’.

 ‣ Draw a small cross on your country. Use the 

map in the annex to help you.

EUROPEAN UNION

EUROPEAN CONTINENT

13

FUTURE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION 
Looking to the future

 ‣ Imagine you are in the future. What does 
the Europe of tomorrow look like to you?

The European Union has gradually been formed 
by the ideas of brave men and women who have 
fought for peace. It’s the fruit of a long history in 
which we have all played a part.

Of course it’s not completely perfect yet: it’s 
a project that evolves every day. 

There are still major problems that will only be 
solved if all the countries work together.

But who will build this Europe of tomorrow? 
Young people will BUILD it together!

14

15

If you want to learn how Europe is organised and operates 
on a daily basis, have a look at these two brochures:

Published in June 2019 by the

European Commission
Directorate-General for Communication
Editorial Service & Targeted Outreach Unit
1049 Brussels
BELGIUM

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2019
https://publications.europa.eu/en/web/general-publications/publications

Did you find this publication useful? Let us know:
comm-publi-feedback@ec.europa.eu

Print 
PDF 

ISBN 978-92-76-08092-3 
ISBN 978-92-76-08079-4 

doi:10.2775/92602 
NA-08-19-012-EN-C
doi:10.2775/444718  NA-08-19-012-EN-N

© European Union, 2019
Reuse is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
The reuse policy of European Commission documents is regulated by Decision 2011/833/EU (OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 39).