Sub Questions:

- What caused Brexit to happen?

- What did the single market do?
- How did the EU develop from 1993 to 2020?

The European Union from 1993 to 2020.

How did the EU develop from 1993 to 2020? What were the major events? In this essay all of
these questions will be answered.

What did the single market do?

In January 1993 the single market was established, this means that people could have free
movement of products. It promised European citizens free movement between countries of
people, goods, services, and money. (History of the – 1990-99, z.d.)

What is the Schengen-zone?

On 26 March 1995 the Schengen-zone in 7 countries (Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the

Netherlands, Portugal, Germany, and Spain). This means that people were now able to move
between these countries without passport controls. Soon, many more countries would join the
Schengen-zone and now most EU countries are a part of it.
On the 1st of January 1999, the euro was introduced into 11 countries. They did not yet have
notes and coins, so the euro was for electronic payments only for the first 3 years of its
existence. (History and purpose, z.d.) The euro was a very convenient thing because of
international transactions. This way, currency wouldn’t have to be exchanged at the bank to buy
products in a different country. In 2002 banknotes and coins were integrated into 12 countries.

What did the Treaty of Lisbon do?

On the 13th of December 2007 the Lisbon Treaty was signed. The Treaty of Lisbon gave the EU
full legal personality. This meant that the EU can sign international treaties or join an
international organization. (The Treaty of Lisbon | Fact Sheets on the European Union |
European Parliament, 2022). The Treaty of Lisbon was designed to make the EU more
democratic and efficient. It made the European Parliament equal to lawmakers in places where
this was not already the case. (EUR-Lex - C:2007:306:TOC - EN - EUR-Lex, z.d.)

What caused Brexit to happen?

On the 23rd of June 2016 the United Kingdom voted to leave the EU after over 40 years of
being a member. The vote was close. 52% voted to leave and 48% wanted to stay in the EU.
The leaving of the UK from the EU is also called ‘Brexit’. Which is short for British Exit. On the
31st of January 2020 the UK leaves the EU. The reasons that people wanted to leave the EU
were, for example, that they found that the EU made nonsense rules and that they interfered too
much with the affairs of the UK, and that it didn’t hold itself accountable. The vote was very
divided between ages. The majority of the younger people wanted the UK to stay in the EU,
while the elder generations wanted to leave. (Lee, 2016)

In conclusion, from 1993 to 2020 the EU developed further to become what it is today. The
Schengen-zone was established and the Treaty of Lisbon was signed. As well as the UK
leaving the EU.

Sources list:

History of the – 1990-99. (z.d.). European Union. https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-

history/history-eu/1990-99_en

Single market. (z.d.). Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. https://single-market-
economy.ec.europa.eu/single-market_en

2000-09. (z.d.). European Union. https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/history-

eu/2000-09_en

EUR-Lex - C:2007:306:TOC - EN - EUR-Lex. (z.d.). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?

uri=OJ:C:2007:306:TOC

History of the – 2010-19. (z.d.). European Union. https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-

history/history-eu/2010-19_en

History of the EU – 2020 to today. (z.d.). European Union. https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-

countries-history/history-eu/2020-today_en