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| EUROPA > The EU at a glance > The history of the European Union > 2000 - today, A decade of further expansion |
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2000 – today
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On 11 September 2001, hijacked airliners are flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon building in Washington. Nearly 3 000 people die. The EU countries stand firmly alongside the United States in the fight against international terror. |
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The euro became the common currency 1 January 2002 Euro notes and coins arrive. Printing, minting and distributing them in 12 countries is a major logistical operation. More than 80 billion coins are involved. Notes are the same for all countries. Coins have one common face, giving the value, while the other carries a national emblem. All circulate freely. Using Finnish (or any other) euro coin to buy a Madrid metro ticket is something we take for granted. |
An EU peacekeeping force at work. 31 March 2003 As part of its foreign and security policy, the EU takes on peace-keeping operations in the Balkans, firstly in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and then in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In both cases, EU-led forces replace NATO units. Internally, the EU agrees to create an area of freedom, security and justice for all citizens by 2010. |
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1 May 2004 Eight countries of central and eastern Europe — the Czech Republic,
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia —
join the EU,
See animated map
of
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The constitutional treaty signed in 29 October 2004 The 25 EU countries sign a Treaty establishing a European Constitution. It is designed to streamline democratic decision-making and management in an EU of 25 and more countries. It also creates the post of a European Foreign Minister. It has to be ratified by all 25 countries before it can come into force. When citizens in both France and the Netherlands voted 'No' to the Constitution in referendums in 2005, EU leaders declared a "period of reflection".
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Kyoto Protocol – fighting climate change. The Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty to limit global warming and cut emissions of greenhouse gases, comes into force. The EU has consistently taken the lead in efforts to reduce the impact of climate change. The United States is not a party to the protocol. |
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Practically non-existent 15 years ago, The communications revolution continues. Many schools and homes now have high-speed access to the Internet. Text messages and SMS are the favourite way for young people to stay in constant contact with each other. Wide-screen and flat-screen TV sets and DVDs set the pace for home entertainment. |
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See the "European Navigator" website for more information on the history of European integration.
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Yellow panels describe European Union events.
Blue panels describe more general events in Europe.
Member
States: Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg,
Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Finland
and
Sweden.
New Member States: Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania,
Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.
Candidate Countries: Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey.