The Treaty on European Union, often referred to as the Maastricht Treaty, was signed on 7 February 1992 and entered into force on 1 November 1993.
On the basis of this Treaty, the Member States established the European Union and thus marked a new stage in the integrating "the people of Europe into an ever firmer union, in which decisions are made as close as possible to the citizens."
The Treaty establishes a European Union consisting of three pillars: the Community Pillar, a common foreign and security policy and cooperation in the field of justice and home affairs (today police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters), sets the goals of economic and monetary union, establishes EU citizenship, Community competence introduces social policy and integrates trans-European networks, industrial policy, consumer protection, education, youth and culture into common policies.
