Commission Presidency Selection
European leaders selected Delors to succeed Gaston Thorn as President of the European Commission.
European integration · permanent subject timeline
President of the European Commission during the single-market and Maastricht era. This page combines historical context with 42 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database EEC archive.
Historical context
Jacques Delors led the European Commission from 1985 to 1995 and was closely associated with the Single European Act, the internal market and Economic and Monetary Union.
His Commission helped restore momentum to European integration and laid much of the groundwork for Maastricht and the euro.
World History Database records
The records below are selected from the 936-record EEC and European integration archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
Commission Presidency Selection
European leaders selected Delors to succeed Gaston Thorn as President of the European Commission.
Delors Commission Takes Office
The first Delors Commission took office with completion of the internal market among its central objectives.
Internal Market Programme
Delors made completion of the internal market a defining priority of his new Commission.
Iberian Accession Treaties
Delors welcomed the accession treaties for Spain and Portugal as a major expansion of democratic Europe.
White Paper on Internal Market
The Commission presented its White Paper setting out measures needed to complete the internal market by 1992.
Delors Commission
Jacques Delors began his presidency of the European Commission, launching a decade of major initiatives for deeper European integration.
Delors Commission
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
Spain and Portugal Join Communities
Delors welcomed Spain and Portugal as Community members, expanding the European Communities to twelve states.
Committee of Regions
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
Delors Commission
The Delors Commission accelerated completion of the single market and strengthened plans for economic and monetary union.
Delors Commission
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)
Delors Report
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)
European Flag
Under Delors, the European Communities adopted the European flag for institutional use in 1986.
European Flag
Commission President Jacques Delors presided over the adoption of the European flag by the Communities
Legislation
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
Single European Act
The Single European Act expanded Community powers and provided the legal framework for completing the internal market.
Single European Act
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
Single Market Legislative Programme
Delors pressed governments to implement the legislative programme required for a border-free internal market.
Erasmus Programme Launch
The Erasmus programme began during the Delors Commission, supporting student mobility across participating European countries.
Single European Act Enters Force
The Single European Act entered into force, strengthening Community powers and the legal basis for the internal market.
Delors I Budget Package
Delors secured a multi-year budget and reform package that gave the Community greater financial stability.
EMU Committee Chairmanship
European leaders asked Delors to chair a committee examining practical steps toward economic and monetary union.
TUC Speech
Delors addressed the British Trades Union Congress and argued for a European social dimension alongside market integration.
TUC Speech
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
Three-Stage Monetary Union Plan
The Delors Committee recommended a three-stage route to Economic and Monetary Union.
Delors Report
The Delors Report proposed a three-stage process for achieving European Economic and Monetary Union.
Report
Publication of the Delors Report into further EU monetary & economic union
EMU Stage One
The first stage of Economic and Monetary Union began under the programme developed by the Delors Committee.
German Unification and Community Law
The former East Germany entered the European Community framework through German reunification during Delors's Commission presidency.
Economic and Monetary Union
Delors promoted the staged programme for economic and monetary union agreed by European leaders.
Economic and Monetary Union
Promotes the staged programme leading toward economic and monetary union.
Maastricht European Council
Delors supported the Maastricht settlement on deeper political and economic integration.
Maastricht European Council
Supports agreement on deeper political and economic integration.
Maastricht Monetary Union Settlement
Delors supported agreement on treaty provisions establishing the route toward a single European currency.
Single Market Completion Programme
The Delors Commission completed most legislation required for the single market to begin in 1993.
Committee of Regions
The Delors Commission supported stronger regional cohesion and the treaty framework that led to creation of the Committee of the Regions.
Single Market Launch
The European single market began with free movement goals covering goods, services, people and capital.
Growth Competitiveness Employment White Paper
The Delors Commission proposed a European strategy linking competitiveness, employment and economic modernisation.
European Economic Area Launch
The European Economic Area extended much of the single market to participating EFTA countries.
Fourth Enlargement
Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the European Union as the Delors Commission approached the end of its mandate.
Final European Parliament Address
Delors addressed the European Parliament near the end of his ten-year Commission presidency.
Resignation
Forced to resign following accusations of corruption
Editorial provenance
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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