Maastricht Treaty

7 February 1992, in a provincial government building

Twenty-four plenipotentiaries — principally the foreign and finance or economic-affairs ministers of the twelve European Community states — signed the Treaty on European Union on 7 February 1992, in the Council Chamber of Maastricht's Provincial Government Buildings. Two ministers signed for each state.

European Parliament President Egon Klepsch was present at the ceremony but was not one of the treaty's national signatories.

What the signed text said

The text declared that the parties had decided to establish a European Union, placing it on the basis of the existing European Communities plus cooperation in common foreign and security policy and in justice and home affairs.

The Communities did not disappear; they continued as the first pillar of the future Union. No euro notes, coins or shared monetary policy appeared that day — the treaty laid out a staged route toward economic and monetary union.

Signed, but not in force

The heads of state or government had reached political agreement at the Maastricht European Council of 9–10 December 1991 and ordered final legal editing so the text could be signed at the beginning of February. Ministers, not those leaders, put their names to it.

Portugal held the rotating Council presidency on signing day; the venue stayed in Maastricht because the agreement had been reached there under the preceding Dutch presidency.

The signatures authenticated the text but did not put it into force. Ratification by every member state was still required, and the treaty took effect 632 days later, on 1 November 1993.