PENSIoN CoNCEPTS
The 1 st pillar of the EU, which is the European Communities, i.e
the European Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM), has been being built since 1951.
On 18 April 1951, the representatives of six European countries, i.e.
Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, the Federal Republic of Germany, and Italy, under the intergovernmental agreement in Paris, signed a treaty on establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community (French: Communauté Européenne du Charbon et de l’Acier, CECA) for 50 years. The Treaty was implemented on 23 July 1952. The Organization assumed a legal personality and was based in Luxembourg.
At the conference in Messina in 1955, it was decided that the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) be created; yet, its formal establishment took place as late as in 1957.
Pursuant to the Treaties of Rome, signed on 25 March 1957 by Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, the Federal Republic of Germany, and Italy, two entities were created: the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM), which started their activities on 1 January 1958. Under the Merger Treaty of 25 March 1957 on common organs76 of the European Communities77, the Parliament and the Court of Justice were set up.
On 30 July 1962, the EEC started common agricultural policy, with a view to controlling food production.
Pursuant to the Merger Treaty of 1967, all the three Communities existing then (the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Atomic Energy Community, and the European Economic Community) gained other common organs: the Council of the European Communities and the European Commission.
On 1 July 1968, the six EEC countries mutually abolished duties on imported goods, which, for the first time, enabled free trade.
6 The so-called First Merger Treaty.
That is: the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Economic Community, and the European Atomic Energy Community.
In 1973 three more countries joined the EEC: Denmark, Ireland, and Great Britain, followed by Greece in 1981.
On 14 June 1985, in the town of Schengen in Luxembourg, the agreement was signed to abolish the control of those who cross the borders between the Member States. In return, it tightened co-operation on safety and asylum policies. The agreement was called the Schengen Agreement.
On 17 February 198678, the Single European Act was signed in Luxembourg, which changed the provisions of the Rome Treaties. Also in 1986, Spain and Portugal joined the EEC.
On 3 October 1990, the Federal Republic of Germany expanded to cover also the East Germany, which meant enlargement of the EEC.
On 7 February 1992, in Maastricht the Treaty on the European Union was signed, which changed the provisions of the Rome Treaties. Pursuant to its provisions, at the beginning of 1993 the name: the European Economic Community was changed to the European Community (EC) (French:
Communauté européenne, CE). On 1 January 1993, free movement of goods, services, people and capital was introduced. On 1 November 1993, based on three pillars79, the European Union was created.
On 1 January 1995, the EU accepted new members: Austria, Finland, and Sweden. On 26 March 1995, the Schengen Area came into force, comprising Belgium, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, and Portugal, which was connected with abolishing the borders between these countries.
On 2 October 1997, the Amsterdam Treaty was signed. It was an attempt at reforms, which allowed for the EU enlargement80. On 26 October 1997, the Schengen Area included Italy, and on 1 December 1997 also Austria.
8 Italy, Greece, and Denmark signed it as late as on 8 February 86.
The EU pillars mentioned before are: ) the European Communities, ) the Common Foreign and Security Policy, and ) police operation (Europol) and judicial co-operation (Eurojust).
80 The Treaty came into force on May .
On 1 June 1998, the European Central Bank was established, and on 1 January 1999 the Economic and Monetary Union was set up, with the common currency, which was the euro. At first, it comprised: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Luxembourg, Germany, Portugal, and Italy81. On 1 January 2001, Greece joined the Economic and Monetary Union. On 26 February 2001 in Nice the treaty was signed entitled The Treaty of Nice Amending the European Union Treaty, the European Community Treaty and Other Related Legislation. The Treaty provided the rules for functioning of the Union after accession of other countries to the total of 27.
The Treaty on the European Coal and Steel Community expired on 23 July 2002, and its competencies were taken over by the European Community.
On 16 April 2003, the Athens Treaty was signed, which was the legal basis for the accession of 10 countries from the Central and Southern Europe.
On 1 May 2004, the European Community was accessed by: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Since 1 January 2007, Bulgaria and Romania have been the members of the European Community, and Slovenia – a member of the Economic and Monetary Union. On 13 December 2007, in Lisbon the Treaty of Lisbon Amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty Establishing the European Community was signed, also called the Reform Treaty. On 21 December 2007, the following countries joined the Schengen Area: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Since 1 January 2008, Cyprus and Malta have been the members of the Economic and Monetary Union.
8 Moreover, non-EU countries signed agreements on joining the Economic and Monetary Union and participating in common monetary policy, including introduction of the euro: Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican.
The Lisbon Treaty is supposed to take effect on 1 January 2009 as long as it is ratified by all the parties, and the ratification documents are deposited with the Italian government82.
The 2nd pillar is the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP),