Videokit - 50th Anniversary of the European Parliament 1958-2008

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10:00:10:00
19 March 1958 - Constitutive session of the new European Parliamentary Assembly: Robert Schuman is elected President.
(Copyright : ITN Source - The European Parliament has acquired the rights to broadcast this extract for 10 years from March 2008 in the context of information relating to the EU, for any other use, please contact ITN Source : www.itnsource.com )

10:02:06:00
19 March 1959 - Statement by Robert Schuman on the 1st anniversary of the European Parliamentary Assembly (Brussels)

10:02:43:20
8 April 1965 - Signature of the Treaty establishing a single Council and a single Commission of the European Communities, the so-called Merger Treaty (Brussels).

10:03:23:22
1 July 1965 - France triggers the so-called "empty chair" crisis.

10:03:40:03
28-29 January 1966 - The Luxembourg Compromise: unanimity is required where "very important interests of one or more partners are at stake". After operating an "empty chair" policy for seven months, France resumes its place in the Council.

10:04:02:12
30 March 1962 - The Parliamentary Assembly decides to change its name into European Parliament. Logo, flag and publication of the European Parliament.

10:04:14:00
The European Parliament in the 70s: Relocation of the canteens from Luxembourg to Strasbourg.

10:05:06:13
22 April 1970 - Signature of the Treaty of Luxembourg amending certain budgetary provisions of the treaties: increase in budgetary powers of the Assembly after the replacement of the Member States' financial contribution by the Communities' own resources.

10:05:26:21
January 1973 - Arrival of the Irish, Danish and British members in the European Parliament (Strasbourg)

10:06:40:17
16 January 1973 - First session of the extended Parliament of 198 members, after the accession of the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark.

10:07:21:06
9 and 10 December 1974 - The Paris Summit decides to create the European Council, which is to hold meetings three times a year. It also decides on direct elections to the European Parliament, agrees to set up the European Regional Development Fund and resolves to establish economic and monetary union. Léo Tindemans was asked to produce a report on the EU (examining the federal and confederal solutions).

10:07:44:16
12 December 1974 - For the first time, the European Parliament votes on the general budget of the European Communities.

10:08:39:05
14 January 1975 - The European Parliament adopts the Patijn report on the convention introducing elections to the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage (Luxembourg).

10:09:20:22
20 September 1976 - Adoption in Brussels of the Act concerning the election of the representatives of the Assembly by direct universal suffrage.

10:10:11:04
"Maison de l'Europe" is demolished - Building site of the "Palais de l'Europe".

10:10:37:03
January 1977 - Inaugural ceremony of the "Palais de l'Europe" in presence of Valery Giscard d'Estaing, President of the French Republic, Roy Jenkins, President of the Commission and Georges Spenale, President of the European Parliament (Strasbourg).

10:11:05:09
7-10 June 1979 - First European elections by direct universal suffrage (410 members).
TV ad to promote the European elections - Elections - Polls.

10:12:44:15
17 July 1979 - Opening of the session by the most senior member, Louise Weiss.

10:12:59:04
17 July 1979 - Simone Veil (France) is elected President by an absolute majority in the second ballot (Veil 192, Amendola 47, Zagari 138).

10:14:15:21
13 December 1979 - The European Parliament rejects the 1980 Community Budget by a majority of 288 votes against 64, with one abstention (Strasbourg).

10:14:50:06
12 January 1981 - Arrival of the Greek members in the European Parliament - welcome speech by Simone Veil.

10:15:16:18
10 February 1981 - Visit to the European Parliament (Luxembourg) by the President of Egypt, Anwar Sadat.

10:15:53:15
16 December 1981 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by the British Prime Minister and President of the European Council, Margaret Thatcher.

10:16:15:16
1982 - Visit of a Delegation of the European Parliament to the Seveso Site

10:16:56:20
14 September 1983 - Altiero Spinelli presents a draft Treaty to the European Parliament establishing the European Union.

10:17:46:08
14 and 17 June 1984 - The second universal suffrage direct elections to the European Parliament are held (434 members).

10:18:25:02
7 January 1985 - The new Commission takes office with Jacques Delors as its President.

10:19:05:13
8 May 1985 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America.

10:20:27:16
13 January 1986 - EEC Enlargement to Portugal and Spain: Welcome ceremony by the President of the European Parliament, Pierre Pflimlin - Arrivals of new members (Strasbourg).

10:21:30:07
14 May 1986 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I (Strasbourg).

10:21:53:17
9 July 1986 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by Mario Soares, President of the Republic of Portugal.

10:22:26:03
17 and 28 February 1986 - The Single European Act is signed in Luxembourg and The Hague. Amendments of the Treaties establishing the European Communities and the creation of the European Political Cooperation.

10:23:06:21
29 May 1986 The European flag, adopted by Community institutions, is hoisted for the first time in front of the Berlaymont building to the music of the European anthem. Statement by Pierre Pflimlin, President of the European Parliament.

10:24:04:04
11 June 1986 - The Parliament, the Council and the Commission sign a Joint Declaration against Racism and Xenophobia. Roberto Formigoni (Council), Jacques Delors (European Commission) and Pierre Pflimlin (European Parliament).

10:24:50:11
29-30 June 1987 - Brussels European Council. The President is heard for the first time by the European Council in the European Parliament before the opening of the proceedings. Press conference with Lord Henry Plumb, President of the European Parliament.

10:25:19:14
11 October 1988 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by the Pope John‑Paul II.

10:25:57:07
15 February 1989 - The European Parliament awards the 1988 Sakharov Prize to Anatoli Marchenko (posthumously), and Nelson Mandela, represented by his grandson Mandla Mandela.

10:26:28:01
15-18 June 1989 - Third European elections by direct universal suffrage.

10:26:43:14
22 November 1990 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by the German federal chancellor Helmut Kohl, and the President-in-office of the Council, François Mitterrand.

10:27:42:08
16 May 1990 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by the German federal chancellor Helmut Kohl, and the Prime Minister of DDR, Lothar de Maiziere.

10:27:56:08
13 June 1990 - Delivery of the 1988 Sakharov Prize to Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela.

10:28:17:23
17 July 1990 - Visit to the European Parliament (Brussels) by Jozef Antall, Prime Minister of Hungary.

10:28:31:13
20 March 1991 - Visit of to the European Parliament (Brussels) by Vaclav Havel, President of the Federal Czech and Slovak Republic.

10:29:24:16
4 April 1991 - Visit of to the European Parliament (Brussels) by Lech Walesa, President of the Republic of Poland.

10:29:54:16
20 November 1991 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by Mohammed Hosni Mubarak, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

10:30:21:18
7 February 1992 - Signature of the Treaty of Maastricht on European Union. The Treaty founds the Union on the European Communities (first pillar), complemented by two areas of cooperation (second and third pillars): the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters (JHA). (Present when the Treaty was signed: Egon Klepsch).

10:31:05:04
12 May 1992 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by Queen Elizabeth II.

10:31:45:16
Building site of the new European Parliament building in Brussels.

10:32:01:23
4 October 1993 - Visit to the European Parliament (Brussels) by the King of Belgium Albert II. Inauguration of the European Parliament in Brussels by King Albert II, and Jose Maria Gil-Robles, President of the European Parliament.

10:32:13:19
9 December 1993 - Visit to the European Parliament (Brussels) by Boris Yeltsin, President of Russia.

10:33:13:23
1 December 1993 - Visit to the European Parliament (Brussels) by Yitzhak Rabin, Prime Minister of Israel.

10:33:49:22
13 December 1993 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by Yasser Arafat, President of the Palestinian National Authority.

10:34:16:15
9-12 June 1994 - European elections. TV ad and atmosphere of the election night at the European Parliament.

10:35:08:19
16 January 1995 - Welcome speech in the European Parliament in Strasbourg by the Klaus Hänsch, EP President, to the 59 new Members from the three new Member States of the European Union - Finland (16), Austria (21) and Sweden (22).

10:35:54:07
January 1995 - Speeches by Commissioners of the Santer Commission in front of the European Parliament (Brussels).

10:36:42:05
18 January 1995 - The Members of the European Parliament approve Jacques Santer's Commission.

10:37:34:14
17 January 1995 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by François Mitterrand, President of France.

10:38:24:21
12 July 1995 - The European Parliament appoints Jacob Söderman, a Finn, as Ombudsman of the European Union.

10:39:01:23
19 July 1996 - BSE crisis. The European Parliament sets up an investigation committee. Visit of the delegation to the United Kingdom.

10:40:10:03
23 October 1996 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by the Dalai Lama.

10:40:38:06
2 October 1997 - Signature of the Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty on European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts. (Present when the Treaty was signed: Jose Maria Gil-Robles).

10:40:57:09
2 May 1998 - The European Parliament votes its approval to the Single Currency (Brussels, 2 May 1998).

- In the presence of Mr. Brown, President-in-Office of the Council, Jacques Santer, President of the European Commission, Karl Von Wogau, President of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy, and rapporteur, and Christa Randzio‑Plath, President of the Subcommittee on Monetary Affairs, the President Jose Maria Gil‑Robles signed the letter of the European Parliament's approval of the Single Currency.

10:41:40:11
14 January 1999 - the European Parliament adopts, by 319 votes for, 157 against and 54 abstentions, a resolution providing for the constitution of a Committee of Independent Experts, "mandated to examine the way in which the Commission detects and deals with fraud, mismanagement and nepotism".

The European Parliament voted against censure. The only remaining motion, from Pauline Green (the text of the socialists was withdrawn back after the adoption of this resolution), was rejected by 232 votes against, 293 for and 27 abstentions (626 Members, 552 votes).

10:41:58:14
15 March 1999 - The Committee of Independent Experts presents its report to Jose Maria Gil‑Robles and Jacques Santer. It concluded that the Santer Commission collectively, and the Commissioners individually, had a large responsibility for the cases of fraud and irregularities.

10:42:30:16
16 March 1999 - Jacques Santer's Commission resigns collectively.

10:42:54:03
10-13 June 1999 - European elections - TV ad, votes.

10:44:12:09
15 September 1999 - The European Parliament approves the new Commission, led by Romano Prodi (414 votes for, 153 against and 37 abstentions).

10:44:43:07
14 December 1999 - Inauguration of the new Chamber of the European Parliament in Strasbourg by Jacques Chirac, President of the French Republic, and Nicole Fontaine, President of the European Parliament (Strasbourg).

10:45:25:13
5 September 2000 - Avraham Burg, President of the Knesset, and Ahmed Qurie,  Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, speak in the chamber, under the presidency of Nicole Fontaine.

10:46:00:24
15 November 2000 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by Vojislav Kostinica, President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

10:46:09:22
7-9 December 2000 - The Nice European Council, dedicated to the functioning of the European institutions after the enlargement.

In parallel with the Nice European Council meeting, the Presidents of the European Parliament, the European Council and the Commission formally proclaim the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

10:46:22:23
5 April 2001 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by Commander Massoud.

10:46:54:10
22 June 2001 - The "Strasbourg appeal" in the European Parliament for the abolition of death penalty and for an immediate universal moratorium on executions. In presence of the Presidents of the European Parliament and the national parliaments.

10:47:13:18
12 September 2001 - Extraordinary session of the European Parliament to commemorate the memory of the victims of the New York attacks.

10:48:01:16

28 February 2002 - Inauguration of the European Convention on the Future of Europe, in the European Parliament (Brussels).

10:48:21:22
Delegation from the European Parliament to the European Convention on the Future of Europe.

10:48:28:00
10 July 2003 - Closing ceremony of the European Convention on the Future of Europe (Brussels, 10 July 2003) - Speech of Valery Giscard d'Estaing, President of the Convention.

10:48:46:10
4 October 2003 - The Intergovernmental Conference (ICG) is held in Rome, Italy. Its principal task is the drawing-up and adoption of the final version of the EU's first constitution. Several Member States are calling for changes to the draft EU Constitution proposed by the European Convention in July.

10:49:12:15
18 January 2003 - Petition of the European dockers: presentation of a petition to Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament (Strasbourg).

10:49:42:09
29 January 2004 - The European Parliament (Brussels) awards the 2003 Sakharov Prize to Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

10:50:20:00
11 March 2004 - The attacks in Madrid. Minute of silence in the European Parliament, in honour of the victims.

10:50:27:06
3 May 2004 - Welcome ceremony in Strasbourg for the new Member States, with the presidents of the parliaments of the ten new Member States and Lech Walesa. Pat Cox opened the first plenary session, with participation, as full Members, not only of the 626 Members that were elected in June 1999, but also of the 162 new Members.

10:51:21:01
10-13 June 2004 - European elections.

10:51:32:04
27 October 2004 - To avoid a vote of censure of the Members, the President-designate of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, withdraws his proposal for the new Commission. The vote is suspended for one month. The Buttiglione affair is the source of conflict between the Commission and the Members of the European Parliament. Jose Manuel Barroso proposes a new team of Commissioners with two personnel changes (Rocco Buttiglione is replaced by Franco Frattini, and Ingrilde Udre by Andris Piebalgs), and two changes of portfolios (taxation and energy).

10:52:08:15
29 October 2004 - Signature in Rome of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe. In the presence of the President of the European Parliament.

10:52:44:24
10 May 2005 - Visit to the European Parliament (Strasbourg) by Hamid Karzai, President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

10:53:09:07
15 November 2006 - Adoption at the second reading of the "Services Directive".

10:53:51:24
15 January 2007 - Bulgaria and Romania join the EU. The European Parliament has 785 Members, until the European elections in 2009. The Union's population amounts to 492.8 million inhabitants. With the Bulgarian, Irish and Romanian languages, the EU now has 23 official languages.

10:55:13:06
16 January 2007 - Hans‑Gert Pöttering is elected President of the European Parliament.

10:55:22:21
31 January 2007 - Visit to the European Parliament (Brussels) by Traian Basescu, President of Romania.

10:55:44:07
1 February 2007 - Visit to the European Parliament (Brussels) by Georgi Parvanov, President of the Republic of Bulgaria (Brussels).

10:56:05:19
25 March 2007 - Signature of the Declaration on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the signature of the Treaties of Rome.

10:57:51:22
27 June 2007 - Signature of the Roaming Regulation. The Regulation on roaming rates in the area of mobile telephony is officially signed by Hans‑Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament, and Angela Merkel, German federal chancellor and acting President of the Council (Brussels).

10:58:25:20
12 December 2007 - Hans‑Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament, José Sócrates, Portuguese Prime Minister and President-in-Office of the Council, and José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, sign the Charter of Fundamental Rights (Strasbourg).

10:59:08:16
13 December 2007 - Signature of the Treaty of Lisbon.

10:59:58:09
20 February 2008 - The Members of the European Parliament approve the new European Treaty, the so-called Treaty of Lisbon.

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Sources:
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