What Year Did France Join the EU?

The European Union (EU) started in 1993 and France joined the organization at its formation. However, prior to the EU's formation, France was also a founding member of another major European organization called the ECSC, which is a predecessor to today's EU.

The EU or European Union is not the first organization to unite the countries of Europe. The EU was born from several other organizations, many of which France was a part of. This includes an organization called the ECSC.

The ECSC

In 1952, there was an organization of European countries (similar to the EU today but on a smaller scale) called the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC),

• The ECSC was organized to unify Western Europe after World War II.
• The founding countries of the organization were France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, and the Federal Republic of Germany.
• The original ECSC organization created cooperation amongst the coal and steel producers of each of these six countries, aiding in arms production and helping solidify trade across their borders.
• The general purpose was to make the Western European countries dependent on one another and to help create a cohesive connection among them that would strengthen them and prevent future wars between them, ensuring peace in the area.

Changes and the Formation of the EU

In 1957, the members of the ECSC signed the Treaties of Rome, which created the European Economic Community (EEC).

This branched off into various communities, including a customs union and a union for the development of nuclear energy.

Eventually, in 1993, the Treaty of Maastricht was signed by 27 European states, thus creating the organization currently known as the European Union. France joined the organization at that time, so 1993 is the year when France joined the EU.