The Treaty of the European Union, Maastricht Treaty, 7th February, 1992

Excerpt

RESOLVED to mark a new stage in the process of European integration undertaken with the establishment of the European Communities,

RECALLING the historic importance of the ending of the division of the European continent and the need to create firm bases for the construction of the future Europe,

CONFIRMING their attachment to the principles of liberty, democracy and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and of the rule of law,

DESIRING to deepen the solidarity between their peoples while respecting their history, their culture and their traditions,

DESIRING to enhance further the democratic and efficient functioning of the institutions so as to enable them better to carry out, within a single institutional framework, the tasks entrusted to them,

RESOLVED to achieve the strengthening and the convergence of their economies and to establish an economic and monetary union including, in accordance with the provisions of this Treaty, a single and stable currency,

DETERMINED to promote economic and social progress for their peoples, within the context of the accomplishment of the internal market and of reinforced cohesion and environmental protection, and to implement policies ensuring that advances in economic integration are accompanied by parallel progress in other fields,

RESOLVED to establish a citizenship common to the nationals of their countries,

RESOLVED to implement a common foreign and security policy including the eventual framing of a common defence policy, which might in time lead to a common defence, thereby reinforcing the European identity and it independence in order to promote peace, security and progress in Europe and in the world,

REAFFIRMING their objective to facilitate the free movement of persons while ensuring the safety and security of their peoples, by including provisions on justice and home affairs in this Treaty,

RESOLVED to continue the process of creating an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe, in which decisions are taken as closely as possible to the citizen in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity,

IN VIEW of further steps to be taken in order to advance European integration,

HAVE DECIDED to establish a European Union and to this end have designated as their plenipotentiaries:

HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS:
Mark EYSKENS, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
Philippe MAYSTADT, Minister for Finance;

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN OF DENMARK:
Uffe ELLEMNA-JENSEN, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
Anders FOGH RASMUSSEN, Minister for Economic Affairs;

THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY:
Hans-Dietrich GENSCHER, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs;
Theodor WAIGEL, Federal Minister for Finance;

THE PRESIDENT OF THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC:
Antonios SAMARAS, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
Efthymios CHRISTODOULOU, Minister for Economic Affairs;

HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF SPAIN:
Francisco FERNANDEZ ORDONEZ, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
Carlos SOLCHAGA CATALAN, Minister for Economic Affairs and
Finance;

THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC:
Rolan DUMAS, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
Peirre BEREGOVY, Minister for Economic and Financial Affairs and the
Budget;

THE PRESIDENT OF IRELAND:
Gerard COLLINS, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
Berite AHERN, Minister for Finance;

THE PRESIDENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC,
Gianni DE MICHELIS, Minister for Foreign Affairs;
Guido CARLI, Minister for the Treasury;

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUKE OF LUXEMBOURG:
Jaques F....