EU Treaties and Agreements

• 1951: Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community
• 1957: Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community
• 1957: Treaty establishing the European Economic Community
• 1992: Treaty on European Union

A chronological overview of founding and accession treaties can be found here.

The EU treaties are binding agreements between EU member states. They set out EU objectives, rules for EU institutions, how decisions are made and the relationship between the EU and its member countries. Every action taken by the EU is founded on treaties.

Treaties are amended to make the EU more efficient and transparent, prepare for new member countries and introduce new areas of cooperation. [1]

• TEU: Treaty on European Union (consolidated version 2016)
• TFEU: Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (consolidated version 2016)
• EURATOM: Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (consolidated version 2016)
• CFR: Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (2016)

EU international agreements are legally binding agreements between the European Union and one or more non-EU countries or international organisations. They may be concluded when the Treaties so provide or when the conclusion of an agreement

• is necessary to achieve, within the framework of the EU's policies, one of the objectives referred to in the Treaties
• is provided for in a legally binding EU act
• is likely to affect common rules or alter their scope.

The EU's external action is set out in Title V of the Treaty on the European Union and in Part 5 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The procedure for negotiating and adopting international agreements is set out in Articles 207 and 218 TFEU for the common commercial policy and for the other external action areas, respectively. [2]

Here you can find a list of international agreements sorted by topics.

• Agreements concluded by Member States and the EU/EURATOM with non-EU countries or international organisations (and which are within the joint competence of the Member States and the EU)
• Bilateral and multilateral agreements concluded by the EU (within its exclusive competence).
• Legal acts of bodies established under such international agreements.