Which treaty created the European Union?

• A. Treaty of Rome
• B. Treaty of Maastricht
• C. Treaty of Lisbon
• D. Treaty of Nice

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is which treaty established the European Union. The Maastricht Treaty, signed in 1992 and coming into effect in 1993, did that. It transformed the European Community into the European Union, signaling a broader goal of political and economic integration. It also introduced EU citizenship, allowing residents of member states to move and live and work across the Union with certain rights, and it created a three-pillar structure: the European Communities, a Common Foreign and Security Policy, and Justice and Home Affairs. It set the stage for Economic and Monetary Union and the eventual use of a single currency, the euro. Before Maastricht, the Treaties like Rome’s created the European Economic Community, a stepping stone toward deeper integration, but the EU as a political entity began with Maastricht. Subsequent treaties such as Nice and Lisbon reformed institutions and expanded powers, but Maastricht is the treaty that created the European Union.