History of European integration

The integration of states, in political and economic terms, is certainly a process characteristic of the European continent after the end of the Second World War. Obviously, attempts and proposals for integration had been made before, but it was only after 1945 that they were successfully implemented. The establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, followed by the European Economic Community and Euratom in 1957, resulted in close cooperation between the countries of the western part of Europe, but it was not until the collapse of the communist system that the way was opened for the integration of central and eastern Europe too (2004 and 2007). Currently, the European Union, with 27 member states, is undoubtedly an example of the most successful integration in the world. The organisation has undergone changes both in terms of the number of integrating states and the extent of cooperation. Like any other form of cooperation, it has experienced times of crisis, but was able to overcome them. Further expansion of the EU to include the Balkan states is possible in the near future.