The New york Times
December 14, 1998
Timeline |
• 1946 Winston
Churchill |
| • 1952 European Coal and Steel Community established. |
| • 1957 West Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg set up the European Economic Community. |
| • 1963 France and West Germany sign a treaty of cooperation. |
| • 1972 European leaders agree to economic and monetary union by 1980. |
| • 1979 The European monetary system and European Currency Unit are created. |
| • 1986 An agreement is reached on a tariff-free internal market to be established for all members of the European Community by the end of 1992. |
| • 1990 Germany is reunified. |
| • 1991 At the Maastricht summit meeting in the Netherlands, agreement is reached on a European Central Bank and a common currency to start by 1999 for eligible nations. |
| • 1998 11 countries decide to introduce a common currency in January 1999. |
| • 1999 The euro is introduced. Leading stock and bond markets begin trading in the currency. |
| • 2002 Euro bills and coins go into circulation. In July, National bills and coins will no longer be legal tender. |