How Many Countries Signed the Treaty of Rome?

By Robert Palmer

The Treaty of Rome, signed on March 25, 1957, was a pivotal moment in European history. It established the European Economic Community (EEC), which aimed to create a customs union and promote economic integration among its member states. But how many countries actually signed this historic treaty?

The Original Six:

When the Treaty of Rome was signed, it had six founding member states:

  • Belgium
  • France
  • Germany
  • Italy
  • Luxembourg
  • Netherlands

These six countries laid the foundation for what would later become the European Union (EU) as we know it today.

Expansion and Enlargement:

Over the years, more countries joined the EU through various waves of enlargement. Let’s take a closer look at how these numbers have changed:

First Wave: United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark (1973)

In 1973, three new member states joined the EU:

  • United Kingdom
  • Ireland
  • Denmark

Second Wave: Greece (1981)

Greece became the seventh member state to join the EU in 1981.

Third Wave: Spain and Portugal (1986)

In 1986, both Spain and Portugal joined the EU, bringing the total number of member states to twelve.

Fourth Wave: Austria, Finland, Sweden (1995)

The EU expanded again in 1995 with the addition of three more member states:

  • Austria
  • Finland
  • Sweden

Fifth Wave: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia (2004)

In 2004, the largest wave of enlargement took place with ten countries joining the EU:

  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Estonia
  • Hungary
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Malta
  • Poland
  • Slovakia
      Slovenia

      Sixth Wave: Bulgaria and Romania (2007)

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      In 2007, both Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU. This brought the total number of member states to twenty-seven.

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      Seventh Wave: Croatia (2013)

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      The most recent enlargement took place in July 2013 when Croatia became the twenty-eighth member state to join the EU.

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      To summarize:

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      • The Treaty of Rome was signed by six founding member states in 1957.
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      • Since then, the EU has grown to include twenty-eight member states.
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      Each new country that joins the EU brings unique perspectives and contributes to the shared goals of European integration and cooperation.

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