Events from the year 1996 in the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

Incumbents

President of the European Council The president of the European Council is the person presiding over and driving forward the work of the European Council on the world stage. This institution comprises the college of heads of state or government of EU member states as well as t ...

Lamberto Dini Lamberto Dini CGMG (born 1 March 1931) is an Italian politician and economist. He was the Director General of Bank of Italy from 1979 to 1994, Minister of Treasury from 1994 to 1996, the 51st Prime Minister of Italy from 1995 to 1996, and Forei ...

(Jan – May 1996) **

Romano Prodi Romano Antonio Prodi (; born 9 August 1939) is an Italian politician, economist, academic, senior civil servant, and business executive who served as the tenth president of the European Commission from 1999 to 2004. He served twice as Prim ...

(May – Jun 1996) **

John Bruton John Gerard Bruton (born 18 May 1947) is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as Taoiseach from 1994 to 1997, Ambassador of the European Union to the United States from 2004 to 2009, Leader of Fine Gael from 1990 to 2001, Leader of ...

(July – Dec 1996) * Commission President **

Jacques Santer Jacques Santer (born 18 May 1937) is a Luxembourg politician who served as the 9th President of the European Commission from 1995 to 1999. He served as Finance Minister of Luxembourg from 1979 until 1989, and the 20th Prime Minister of Luxembo ...

* Council Presidency **

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

(Jan – Jun 1996) **

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

(July – Dec 1996)

Events

January

1 January January 1 or 1 January is the first day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 364 days remaining until the end of the year (365 in leap years). This day is also known as New Year's Day since the day marks the beginning of the year. ...

takes over the

Presidency of the European Union The official title President of the European Union (or President of Europe) does not exist, but there are a number of presidents of European Union institutions, including: * the President of the European Council (since 1 December 2019, Charle ...

. ** A Customs Union between the EU and Turkey enters into force. *

17 January Events Pre-1600 *38 BC – Octavian divorces his wife Scribonia and marries Livia Drusilla, ending the fragile peace between the Second Triumvirate and Sextus Pompey. * 1362 – Saint Marcellus' flood kills at least 25,000 people on ...

– The Czech Republic formally applies to join the European Union. *

18 January Events Pre-1600 * 474 – Seven-year-old Leo II succeeds his maternal grandfather Leo I as Byzantine emperor. He dies ten months later. * 532 – Nika riots in Constantinople fail. * 1126 – Emperor Huizong abdicates the Chines ...

– Mr Bernhard Friedmann is elected president of the Court of Auditors. * 31 January – The Commission adopts a Green Paper on review of Merger Control Regulation.

February

* 1 February – The interim agreements with Russia and Ukraine enter into force. *

26 February Events Pre-1600 *747 BC – According to Ptolemy, the epoch (origin) of the Nabonassar Era began at noon on this date. Historians use this to establish the modern BC chronology for dating historic events. * 364 – Valentinian I is p ...

– A Euro-Mediterranean association agreement is signed with Morocco.

March

* 1– 2 March – A European Union-Asia summit is held in Bangkok, Thailand. *

5 March Events Pre-1600 * 363 – Roman emperor Julian leaves Antioch with an army of 90,000 to attack the Sasanian Empire, in a campaign which would bring about his own death. * 1046 – Nasir Khusraw begins the seven-year Middle Eastern ...

– "Brasserie du pêcheur" and "Factortame" rulings. The European Court of Justice specifies when a Member State violating Community law can be held responsible for the damages caused to a private individual. *

6 March Events Pre-1600 *12 BCE – The Roman emperor Augustus is named Pontifex Maximus, incorporating the position into that of the emperor. * 632 – The Farewell Sermon (Khutbah, Khutbatul Wada') of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. * 845 &n ...

– The Commission adopts a White Paper on air traffic control and a Green Paper on legal protection for encrypted services. *

27 March Events Pre-1600 *1309 – Pope Clement V imposes excommunication and interdiction on Venice, and a general prohibition of all commercial intercourse with Venice, which had seized on Ferrara, a papal fiefdom. * 1329 – Pope John XXII ...

– The Commission adopts a decision on urgent measures to be taken for protection against BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy). It imposes a worldwide export ban on British beef and beef products. *

29 March Events Pre-1600 * 845 – Paris is Siege of Paris (845), sacked by Viking raiders, probably under Ragnar Lodbrok, who collects a huge ransom in exchange for leaving. *1430 – The Ottoman Empire under Murad II Siege of Thessalonica (14 ...

– The opening of the Intergovernmental Conference to revise the Maastricht Treaty is held in Turin, Italy. The European Council defines its agenda.

April

* 1–

2 April Events Pre-1600 *1513 – Having spotted land on March 27, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León comes ashore on what is now the U.S. state of Florida, landing somewhere between the modern city of St. Augustine and the mouth of the St. J ...

– A G7 conference on employment is held in Lille, France. * 19–

20 April Events Pre-1600 *1303 – The Sapienza University of Rome is instituted by a bull of Pope Boniface VIII. 1601–1900 * 1653 – Oliver Cromwell dissolves England's Rump Parliament. * 1657 – English Admiral Robert Blake destroys ...

– A G7+1 meeting on nuclear safety is held in Moscow, Russia. *

22 April Events Pre-1600 *1500 – Portuguese navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral lands in Brazil. * 1519 – Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés establishes a settlement at Veracruz, Mexico. * 1529 – Treaty of Zaragoza divides the eastern h ...

– The European Union signs partnership and co-operation agreements with Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

May

8 May Events Pre-1600 * 453 BC – Spring and Autumn period: The house of Zhao defeats the house of Zhi, ending the Battle of Jinyang, a military conflict between the elite families of the State of Jin. * 413 – Emperor Honorius signs ...

– The Commission adopts a Green Paper on commercial communications in the single market. *

13 May Events Pre-1600 * 1373 – Julian of Norwich has visions of Jesus while suffering from a life-threatening illness, visions which are later described and interpreted in her book ''Revelations of Divine Love''. * 1501 – Amerigo Vesp ...

– The Council adopts an EU action plan for Russia. * 22 May – The Commission adopts a Green Paper on financial services. * 23 May – Hedley Lomas ruling. The European Court of Justice affirms that a Member State violating Community law by refusing to issue an export licence to a private individual must pay compensation.

June

1 June Events Pre-1600 *1215 – Zhongdu (now Beijing), then under the control of the Jurchen ruler Emperor Xuanzong of Jin, is captured by the Mongols under Genghis Khan, ending the Battle of Zhongdu. *1252 – Alfonso X is proclaimed king o ...

– The cooperation agreements with Vietnam and Nepal enter into force. * 10 June – Slovenia formally applies to join the European Union. * 14– 15 June – A tripartite conference on Growth and Employment involving the Community institutions, the Member States and the social partners is held in Rome, Italy. *

21 June Events Pre-1600 * 533 – A Byzantine expeditionary fleet under Belisarius sails from Constantinople to attack the Vandals in Africa, via Greece and Sicily (approximate date). * 1307 – Külüg Khan is enthroned as Khagan of the Mo ...

– The cooperation agreements with Uzbekistan and Chile are signed. * 21–

22 June Events Pre-1600 *217 BC – Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV Philopator of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. *168 BC – Battle of Pydna: Roman Republic, Romans under Lucius Aemilius Paullus Macedonicus, Luciu ...

– A European Council is held in Florence, Italy. It spells out the objectives and the agenda of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC), it endorses the framework plan presented by the Commission for eradication of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and resolves the problem of the Court of Justice's authority to interpret the Europol Convention. * 25 June – The Council adopts the new TACIS regulation on assistance to New Independent States and Mongolia for 1996-1999. * 27– 29 June – A G7 summit is held in Lyon, France. Three documents are adopted: a declaration on terrorism, an economic communiqué entitled "Making a success of globalisation for the benefit of all" and a statement from the chair entitled "Towards greater security and stability in a more cooperative world".

July

1 July Events Pre-1600 * 69 – Tiberius Julius Alexander orders his Roman legions in Alexandria to swear allegiance to Vespasian as Emperor. * 552 – Battle of Taginae: Byzantine forces under Narses defeat the Ostrogoths in Italy, and the ...

–

takes over the

. * 24 July – The Commission adopts a Green Paper entitled "Living and working in the information society: people first" and a Green Paper on the role, position and liability of the statutory auditor. * 25 July – The Council adopts a regulation concerning the aids granted for the reconstruction of the republics of former Yugoslavia. * 30 July – The Commission adopts a White Paper on the strategy to follow for revitalising EU railway.

September

* 16– 17 September – Following the world solar summit held in Harare, Zimbabwe, participants launch a world solar programme for 1996-2005. *

27 September Events Pre-1600 *1066 – William the Conqueror and his army set sail from the mouth of the Somme river, beginning the Norman conquest of England. *1331 – The Battle of Płowce is fought, between the Kingdom of Poland and the Teutoni ...

– The 15 European Union Member States sign a convention on extradition and a protocol on protection of the European Union's financial interests. The Council adopts the corresponding acts.

October

1 October Events Pre-1600 *331 BC – Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. * 366 – Pope Damasus I is consecrated. * 959 – Edgar the Peaceful becomes king of all England, in succession to Eadwig. * ...

– The Council agrees on a Community action for a total ban on anti-personnel landmines. * 2 October – The Commission adopts a Green Paper entitled "Education, Training and research: the obstacles to Trans-national mobility". * 5 October – A Special European Council is held in Dublin, Ireland. heads of state or government confirm the timetable for the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC). * 13 October – Austria holds European Parliament elections for the first time. *

14 October Events Pre-1600 *1066 – The Norman Conquest, Norman conquest of England begins with the Battle of Hastings. *1322 – Robert the Bruce, Robert the Bruce of Scotland defeats King Edward II of England at the Battle of Old Byland, forc ...

– The Finnish Mark joins the EMS exchange rate mechanism. * 20 October – Finland holds European Parliament elections for the first time. * 28 October – A cooperation agreement is signed between the European Union and the Republic of Korea.

November

4 November Events Pre-1600 *1429 – Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War: Joan of Arc liberates Saint-Pierre-le-Moûtier. *1493 – Christopher Columbus reaches Leeward Island and Puerto Rico. *1501 – Catherine of Aragon (later Henry VIII's ...

– The Commission adopts a Green Paper on the future noise policy. * 7–

9 November Events Pre-1600 * 694 – At the Seventeenth Council of Toledo, Egica, a king of the Visigoths of Hispania, accuses Jews of aiding Muslims, sentencing all Jews to slavery. *1277 – The Treaty of Aberconwy, a humiliating settlement ...

– A European Conference on rural development is held in Cork, Ireland. *

11 November Events Pre-1600 * 308 – At Carnuntum, Emperor ''emeritus'' Diocletian confers with Galerius, ''Augustus'' of the East, and Maximianus, the recently returned former ''Augustus'' of the West, in an attempt to end the civil wars of the ...

– The Council adopts a common action for sustaining the democratic process in Zaire, Africa. *

20 November Events Pre-1600 * 284 – Diocletian is chosen as Roman emperor. * 762 – During the An Shi Rebellion, the Tang dynasty, with the help of Uyghur Khaganate, Huihe tribe, recaptures Luoyang from the rebels. *1194 – Palermo is conq ...

– The Commission adopts three Green Papers on the relations between the European Union and the African, Caribbean, Pacific (ACP) states, a numbering policy for telecommunication services, a Community strategy for developing renewable energies. *

25 November Events Pre-1600 *571 BC – Servius Tullius, king of Rome, celebrates the first of his three triumphs for his victory over the Etruscans. * 1034 – Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots, dies. His grandson, Donnchad, son of Beth� ...

– The Italian Lira re-enters the EMS exchange rate mechanism. * 27 November – The Commission adopts a Green Paper on public procurement in the European Union.

December

* 4– 5 December – At the London Conference centred on implementing peace agreements in Former Yugoslavia, a plan to consolidate peace is adopted. * 9– 13 December – The

World Trade Organization The World Trade Organization (WTO) is an intergovernmental organization that regulates and facilitates international trade. With effective cooperation in the United Nations System, governments use the organization to establish, revise, and e ...

(WTO) Ministerial conference is held in Singapore and concludes with an agreement on information technology products. * 10 December – The Euro-Mediterranean interim agreement with the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) is signed. * 13–

14 December Events Pre-1600 * 557 – Constantinople is severely damaged by 557 Constantinople earthquake, an earthquake, which cracks the dome of Hagia Sophia. * 835 – Sweet Dew Incident: Emperor Wenzong of Tang, Emperor Wenzong of the Tang dyn ...

– A European Council is held in Dublin, Ireland. It reaches agreement on the various elements necessary for introduction of the single currency (legal framework, stability pact, new exchange rate mechanism), adopts the Dublin declaration on employment and confirms timetable for the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC). *

16 December Events Pre-1600 * 714 – Pepin of Herstal, mayor of the Merovingian palace, dies at Jupille (modern Belgium). He is succeeded by his infant grandson Theudoald, while his widow Plectrude holds actual power in the Frankish Kingdom. * 75 ...

– A Transatlantic summit between the European Union and the USA is held in Washington, USA. * 19 December – Denmark, Finland and Sweden sign the Schengen agreement.

European Capitals of Culture

The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by the

for a period of one calendar year, during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong European dimension. *

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

References

External links

EUROPA
— The official EU web portal
European Union, How the EU works, history, 1996 (europa.eu)
is the main source for this list. {{Years in the European Union Years of the 20th century in the European Union 1990s in the European Union