An evaluation of Eastern European enlargement: The political and economic impact on European citizens
World War II affected the European continent more than any other place in the world. After the war the reconstruction of Europe, the elimination of hunger and poverty and the creation of an area of peace, stability and prosperity was the primary concern for all European governments. Before and during this period, the founding fathers of the European Union (EU) had started to elaborate the idea of European integration. The vision of a united Europe was the solution not only for the short-term anxieties but also for the philosophical and ideological questionings. Consequently, in 1951 the European architects created the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and in 1957 the six founding members France, Germany, Italy, Luxemburg, Belgium and Netherlands signed the treaty of Rome, creating the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). The developments above were the first and most significant steps towards the European Union. The past forty y