歐洲聯盟（以下簡稱歐盟）為推廣全球歐盟研究並促進與各國學術界和公民社會之交流合作，自1998年起在全球先進工業國家擇重要學府設立「歐洲聯盟頂尖中心」。目前，全世界共有27個歐盟中心，其中11個在美國、4個在加拿大；澳洲、日本各有3個、韓國有2個，而紐西蘭、新加坡及臺灣各有1個，形成一個全球性的歐盟研究網絡。各個中心儘管名稱稍異，但均受歐盟官方委任，為該國社會和學界與歐盟交流合作的平台，彼此之間更串連形成了全球和區域性的歐盟研究社群。
歐洲執委會（以下簡稱執委會）於2008年元月決定在臺灣籌設歐盟中心後，臺灣大學隨即成立「爭取籌設委員會」，並經李嗣涔校長、包宗和副校長及沈冬國際長積極奔走，於同年9月2日與政治大學、中興大學、中山大學、東華大學、輔仁大學和淡江大學等六校締約結盟，成立「以臺大為首之大學聯盟」，向歐盟正式提出合作計畫，並獲同意。
臺大遂與執委會於2008年12月3
1日正式完成簽約換文，並於2009年1月13日校務會議通過臺灣歐盟中心設置要點。
In order to promote EU research globally, encourage cooperation, and civil and academia exchange between the EU and third countries, the EU has since 1998 established European Union Centres in prestigious universities in developed countries and there are currently 27 centres worldwide. Despite variations in name, each Centre is formed by mandate of European Commission which not only acts as a platform for the exchanges and cooperation between academia and civil society of its own country, but also creates the linkage among these Centres to form global and regional networks for studying the EU. Work on making the EU Center in Taiwan a reality began in early 2008 after the European Commission expressed its intention to create an office, and the Preparatory Committee of NTU for the Creation of the EU Centre in Taiwan was immediately established. Members of Preparatory Committee, including President Lee, Vice President Bau and Dean of International Affairs, Dr. Shen, made sincere efforts and eventually united several Taiwanese universities into a single consortium on September 22 nd , 2008. The Consortium is consisted of NTU, National Chengchi University (NCCU), Tamkang University (TKU), Catholic Fu-Jen University (FJU), National D**g Hua University (NDHU), National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) and National Sun Yat Sen University (NSYSU). Acting as the lead institution of a consortium of seven major universities in Taiwan, the NTU proposed its plan, and signed the Grand Agreement with the European Commission on December 31st, 2008.
