The Treaty on European Union, signed in Maastricht in 1992 and in force from 1993, created the European Union out of the existing European Communities. It established EU citizenship, set out the criteria and timetable for a single currency, and added pillars for common foreign, security and justice cooperation. It also strengthened the Union's competence over regional and cohesion policy and structural funding.
It built the supranational policy and funding framework — including the structural and cohesion funds — that has financed regional development, infrastructure and cross-border spatial planning across Europe.