1 November is the Foundation Day of the European Union
The history of the EU dates back to 9 May 1950, when Robert Schuman, then French Foreign Minister, presented a plan to unite the coal and steel industries of European countries, which became the basis for the creation of a common market. This led to the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1951, which united six countries (France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) and gave rise to the European Coal and Steel Community, the first supranational organisation.
The European Union was officially established in 1993 with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, which entered into force on 1 November 1993 and laid the foundations for the existence of a united Europe as we know it today.
Over the years, the EU has grown and expanded, uniting more and more countries, establishing a single market and introducing a single currency, the euro. Thanks to shared values such as democracy, human rights and the rule of law, the EU has become a global example of economic cooperation and social progress. Today, the EU is a political, economic and cultural union with the characteristics of a confederation comprising 27 European countries with a population of 447,706,209 people.
Since 23 June 2022, Ukraine has been a candidate for EU membership. The Association Agreement was initiated in 2012, but the Ukrainian government stopped preparations for signing it on 21 November 2013 during the presidency of pro-Russian politician Viktor Yanukovych. He, as the then head of state, attended the EU summit in Vilnius on 28-29 November 2013, where the Association Agreement was supposed to be signed, but was not. The decision to refuse to sign the agreement triggered the Euromaidan protests and eventually led to the ouster of Yanukovych and the government of Mykola Azarov following the Revolution of Dignity in February 2014.
On 21 February 2019, the Constitution of Ukraine was amended, and the provisions on Ukraine's strategic course towards membership in the European Union and NATO were enshrined in the preamble of the Basic Law, three articles and transitional provisions. Since then, Ukraine has been striving for full integration and accession to the European Union, which was enshrined in the Constitution of Ukraine on 21 February 2019. The political part of the Association Agreement was signed by Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk on 21 March 2014. The economic part of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union was signed by the fifth President Petro Poroshenko on 27 June 2014.
On 1 January 2016, Ukraine joined the DCFTA with the EU. On 11 June 2017, Ukrainian citizens were granted visa-free travel to the Schengen area for a period of up to 90 days. The Association Agreement officially entered into force on 1 September 2017.
On 28 February 2022, after the full-scale Russian invasion, Ukraine applied for EU membership, and support for EU accession in Ukraine rose to a record 91%. The European Parliament, the European Commission and the European Council supported Ukraine's application, and on 23 June, Ukraine was granted candidate status.
The EU has strongly supported Ukraine by providing humanitarian, economic and military assistance, as well as maintaining sanctions against Russia. The Union has united around important political decisions and demonstrated solidarity with Ukraine, defending the principles of international law and the sovereignty of states. The EU is also actively working to reduce its dependence on Russian energy resources by strengthening energy security and introducing alternative sources. Since its founding, the European Union has shown that there is power in association to ensure peace and stability. Today, it continues to play a key role on the world stage, upholding democratic values, protecting human rights and ensuring peaceful coexistence in a complex international environment.
