when was the european union formed
European Union. The European Union (EU) was founded in 1948 in the aftermath of World War Two to promote stability and economic cooperation between member states.
Denmark, Ireland and the UK became full EC members in 1973, Greece joined in 1981, Portugal and Spain in 1986, Austria, Finland and Sweden in 1995. Maastricht and beyond. The Treaty on European Union, signed at Maastricht in 1991, formally established the European Union as the successor to the EC.