Single European Act (SEA) 

Signature page of the Single European Act    
Signature page of the Single European Act 

The first Intergovernmental Conference opened under Italy's chairmanship on 9 September 1985.

Major changes for the European Parliament

The Single European Act brought amendments to the Treaties establishing the European Communities and established European political cooperation.

Once the Single European Act (SEA) entered into force, the title “European Parliament” (which the Assembly had used since 1962) was made official. The SEA also increased the Parliament's legislative powers with the introduction of the cooperation and assent procedures.

  • Signed in: Luxembourg (Luxembourg) 17 February 1986 and in The Hague (the Netherlands) 28 February 1986
  • Entry into force: 1 July 1987