[rmc]

The UK was part of the EU during (most of the) 1970s and 80s, when there was numerous anti-terrorism laws and abuses in Northern Ireland.

[homeomorphic]

The EU came to be in 1993 :)

[rmc]

Pedant. :P Yes the EU name was formed in 1993. But there was the EC or EEC before then, which was basically the same thing.

[homeomorphic]

As a citizen of a (current) EEC-non-EU member country a feel there's a huge difference. But yes, my comment was a bit pedantic :)