In which year did the UK join the European Union?

The United Kingdom joined the European Economic Community (EEC), which later became the European Union (EU), in 1973. This integration was part of the broader movement towards European unity following World War II, as countries sought to foster economic cooperation and prevent future conflicts. The accession was marked by the signing of the Treaty of Accession, which came into effect on January 1, 1973. This decision had significant political, economic, and social ramifications for the UK and the EU as a whole. The subsequent years saw various developments, including the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, which formally established the European Union, but the key date for the UK's entry into the community was indeed 1973.