1974 10th December
Direct European Elections Decision
Supports the Paris summit decision to advance direct elections to the European Parliament.
European integration · permanent subject timeline
Hans-Dietrich Genscher
German foreign minister active in direct elections, monetary cooperation and Maastricht. This page combines historical context with 17 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database EEC archive.
Historical context
Hans-Dietrich Genscher: overview and significance
What happened?
Hans-Dietrich Genscher played a long diplomatic role in European integration, including the Genscher-Colombo initiative, monetary cooperation and Maastricht negotiations.
Why was it important?
His record illustrates the importance of foreign ministers in building consensus across successive treaty and institutional reforms.
World History Database records
Hans-Dietrich Genscher timeline
The records below are selected from the 936-record EEC and European integration archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
1974
1976
1976 20th September
Direct Elections Act
Supports the act establishing direct universal elections to the European Parliament.
1978
1978 7th July
European Monetary System Initiative
Supports the Bremen agreement that advances plans for closer European monetary cooperation.
1979
1979 10th June
First Direct European Elections
Serves as foreign minister when German voters participate in the first direct elections to the European Parliament.
1981
1981 6th November
Genscher-Colombo Plan
Helps submit the German-Italian Draft European Act proposing stronger political cooperation and progress toward European Union.
1982
1982 14th October
European Parliament Integration Speech
Defends the German-Italian initiative for stronger European political cooperation before the European Parliament.
1983
1983 19th June
Solemn Declaration on European Union
Supports adoption of the Solemn Declaration on European Union at the Stuttgart European Council.
1984
1984 26th June
Dooge Committee Initiative
Supports creation of the Dooge Committee to propose improvements in Community institutions and political cooperation.
1985
1985 29th June
Intergovernmental Conference Decision
Supports the Milan decision to convene an intergovernmental conference on treaty reform and the internal market.
1988
1988 28th June
Delors Committee Mandate
Supports the decision to establish the Delors Committee to study concrete steps toward economic and monetary union.
1989
1989 9th December
EMU Intergovernmental Conference Decision
Supports the Strasbourg decision to convene an intergovernmental conference on treaty changes needed for monetary union.
1990
1990 28th April
German Unity in European Community
Links German unification with continued commitment to European integration during the special Dublin meeting.
1990 14th December
Political Union Intergovernmental Conference
Supports opening treaty negotiations on political union alongside the parallel conference on monetary union.
1991
1991 28th June
Luxembourg European Council
Represents German foreign policy as leaders review the intergovernmental conferences preparing the Maastricht settlement.
1991 29th June
Treaty of Maastricht
Works on Germany's political-union priorities while the Twelve meet in Luxembourg.
1991 10th December
Treaty of Maastricht
Secures Germany's diplomatic interests in the final agreement on political cooperation.
1992
1992 7th February
Treaty of Maastricht
Signs the Treaty on European Union for Germany as Federal Foreign Minister.
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.
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