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Jacques Delors and the Delors Commission

Commission leadership during the single-market and monetary-union drive. This page combines historical context with 46 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database EEC archive.

46 matching archive records 1984โ€“1995 record span Open full 936-record archive
Jacques Delors and the Delors Commission historical image

Historical context

Jacques Delors and the Delors Commission: overview and significance

What happened?

Jacques Delors became President of the European Commission in 1985 and served three terms. His Commission promoted the single-market programme, institutional reform and plans for Economic and Monetary Union.

Why was it important?

The Delors era was one of the most consequential periods of European integration, connecting the Single European Act, the single market and the path to Maastricht and the euro.

World History Database records

Jacques Delors and the Delors Commission timeline

The records below are selected from the 936-record EEC and European integration archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.

1984
1984

Commission Presidency Selection

President of European Commission designate Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

European leaders selected Delors to succeed Gaston Thorn as President of the European Commission.

1985
1985 7th January

Delors Commission Takes Office

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The first Delors Commission took office with completion of the internal market among its central objectives.

1985 January

Internal Market Programme

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Delors made completion of the internal market a defining priority of his new Commission.

1985 12th June

Iberian Accession Treaties

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Lisbon ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Delors welcomed the accession treaties for Spain and Portugal as a major expansion of democratic Europe.

1985 14th June

White Paper on Internal Market

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The Commission presented its White Paper setting out measures needed to complete the internal market by 1992.

1985

Delors Commission

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Jacques Delors began his presidency of the European Commission, launching a decade of major initiatives for deeper European integration.

1985

Delors Commission

President of European Parliament Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The Delors Commission oversaw a large degree of expansion. The membership of Spain and Portugal came first in 1985; then the fall of the Berlin Wall enabled the Reunification of Germany; and in 1995 came the accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden. The Delors Commission also prepared the opening to the eastern countries who later joined in 2004

1986
1986 1st January

Spain and Portugal Join Communities

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Delors welcomed Spain and Portugal as Community members, expanding the European Communities to twelve states.

1986

Committee of Regions

President of European Parliament Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The Delors Commission was also responsible for the creation of the Committee of the Regions, having enshrined the idea of cohesion between EU states and regions in the SEA in 1986 leading Delors to propose the body in 1992

1986

Delors Commission

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The Delors Commission accelerated completion of the single market and strengthened plans for economic and monetary union.

1986

Delors Commission

President of European Parliament Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The Delors Commission gave a new momentum to the process of European integration. They 'completed' the internal market and laid the foundations for the single European currency. European Economic and Monetary Union was based on the three stage plan drawn up by a committee headed by Delors (the Delors Report)

1986

Delors Report

President of European Parliament Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The Delors Commission gave a new momentum to the process of European integration. They 'completed' the internal market and laid the foundations for the single European currency. European Economic and Monetary Union was based on the three stage plan drawn up by a committee headed by Delors (the Delors Report)

1986

European Flag

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Under Delors, the European Communities adopted the European flag for institutional use in 1986.

1986

European Flag

President of European Parliament Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Commission President Jacques Delors presided over the adoption of the European flag by the Communities

1986

Legislation

President of European Parliament Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The first major revision of the treaties since the Merger Treaty, leaders signed the Single European Act in February 1986. The text dealt with institutional reform, including extension of community powers 'g in particular in regarding foreign policy. It was a major component in completing the single market

1986

Single European Act

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The Single European Act expanded Community powers and provided the legal framework for completing the internal market.

1986

Single European Act

President of European Parliament Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The first major revision of the treaties since the Merger Treaty, leaders signed the Single European Act in February 1986. The text dealt with institutional reform, including extension of community powers 'g in particular in regarding foreign policy. It was a major component in completing the single market

1986

Single Market Legislative Programme

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Delors pressed governments to implement the legislative programme required for a border-free internal market.

1987
1987 13th June

Erasmus Programme Launch

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The Erasmus programme began during the Delors Commission, supporting student mobility across participating European countries.

1987 1st July

Single European Act Enters Force

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The Single European Act entered into force, strengthening Community powers and the legal basis for the internal market.

1988
1988 February

Delors I Budget Package

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Delors secured a multi-year budget and reform package that gave the Community greater financial stability.

1988 28th June

EMU Committee Chairmanship

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Hanover ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

European leaders asked Delors to chair a committee examining practical steps toward economic and monetary union.

1988 28th June

Delors Committee Mandate

Foreign Minister of Germany Hans-Dietrich Genscher ยท Germany ยท Hanover ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Supports the decision to establish the Delors Committee to study concrete steps toward economic and monetary union.

1988 28th June

Delors Committee Mandate

Foreign Minister of Greece Karolos Papoulias ยท Greece ยท Hanover ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Supports work examining concrete stages toward economic and monetary union.

1988 28th June

Delors Committee Mandate

Foreign Minister of Ireland Brian Lenihan ยท Ireland ยท Hanover ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Supports work on concrete stages toward economic and monetary union.

1988 28th June

Delors Committee Mandate

Foreign Minister of Italy Giulio Andreotti ยท Italy ยท Hanover ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Supports the decision to study concrete stages toward economic and monetary union.

1988

TUC Speech

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Delors addressed the British Trades Union Congress and argued for a European social dimension alongside market integration.

1988

TUC Speech

President of European Parliament Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Delors addressed the British Trade Union Congress. His speech about a social Europe was pivotal in turning British Labour pro-European and the British Conservatives against it

1989
1989 17th April

Three-Stage Monetary Union Plan

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The Delors Committee recommended a three-stage route to Economic and Monetary Union.

1989

Delors Report

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The Delors Report proposed a three-stage process for achieving European Economic and Monetary Union.

1989

Report

Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Publication of the Delors Report into further EU monetary & economic union

1990
1990 1st July

EMU Stage One

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The first stage of Economic and Monetary Union began under the programme developed by the Delors Committee.

1990 3rd October

German Unification and Community Law

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The former East Germany entered the European Community framework through German reunification during Delors's Commission presidency.

1991
1991 9th December

Economic and Monetary Union

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Maastricht ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Delors promoted the staged programme for economic and monetary union agreed by European leaders.

1991 9th December

Economic and Monetary Union

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Maastricht ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Promotes the staged programme leading toward economic and monetary union.

1991 9th December

Maastricht European Council

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Maastricht ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Delors supported the Maastricht settlement on deeper political and economic integration.

1991 9th December

Maastricht European Council

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Maastricht ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Supports agreement on deeper political and economic integration.

1991 10th December

Maastricht Monetary Union Settlement

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Maastricht ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Delors supported agreement on treaty provisions establishing the route toward a single European currency.

1992
1992 December

Single Market Completion Programme

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The Delors Commission completed most legislation required for the single market to begin in 1993.

1992

Committee of Regions

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The Delors Commission supported stronger regional cohesion and the treaty framework that led to creation of the Committee of the Regions.

1993
1993 1st January

Single Market Launch

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The European single market began with free movement goals covering goods, services, people and capital.

1993 December

Growth Competitiveness Employment White Paper

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The Delors Commission proposed a European strategy linking competitiveness, employment and economic modernisation.

1994
1994 1st January

European Economic Area Launch

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

The European Economic Area extended much of the single market to participating EFTA countries.

1995
1995 1st January

Fourth Enlargement

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Brussels ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the European Union as the Delors Commission approached the end of its mandate.

1995 19th January

Final European Parliament Address

President of European Commission Jacques Delors ยท France ยท Strasbourg ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Delors addressed the European Parliament near the end of his ten-year Commission presidency.

1995

Resignation

President of European Parliament Jacques Delors ยท France ยท European Economic Community (EEC)

Forced to resign following accusations of corruption

Editorial provenance

Sources and editorial review

Compiled and edited by World History Database.

Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from World History Database EEC records.

Last reviewed: September 2026.

European Union history ยท EU founding agreements ยท EUR-Lex

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