UK membership of the EEC/EU

The United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community (EEC), the precursor to the European Union (EU), on January 1, 1973. The EEC eventually evolved into the EU with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, which came into effect in 1993. The UK remained a member until January 31, 2020, when it officially left the EU, a move commonly known as Brexit.

The European Economic Community (EEC), established in 1957 by the Treaty of Rome, was a regional organization aimed at integrating the economies of its member states through the creation of a common market and a customs union. As one of the three pillars of the European Communities, the EEC laid the foundation for modern-day European Union (EU) cooperation, emphasizing the free movement of goods, services, capital, and labor among member countries. Over the years, the EEC expanded its membership and deepened its integration, setting the stage for the adoption of a single currency and more cohesive policies. The EEC's role and institutions were absorbed into the EU framework in 1993 with the Treaty of Maastricht, making the EEC's goals and achievements an integral part of the broader European project.