BeNeLux memorandum, 1955
Encyclopedia
The BeNeLux memorandum of 1955 was drafted by the three BeNeLux
countries on 18 May 1955 as a means to reviving European integration on the basis of a general common market.
(EDC) and the European Political Community
, brought the process of European integration to a standstill in 1954. At that moment Johan Willem Beyen (Netherlands
Minister for Foreign Affairs) took the initiative to revive an idea, based on the Ouchy Convention
of 1932, he had already put forward in December 1952 and February 1953 for the European Political Community
(EPC). He proposed that the member states of the European Coal and Steel Community
would develop a common market without customs duties or import quotas instead of a sector-based integration which had been the option taken by the ECSC. Beyen sent a memorandum to his BeNeLux
colleagues Paul-Henri Spaak
(Belgium
) and Joseph Bech (Luxembourg
) on 4 April 1955 in which he proposed his idea of a customs union.
The three Foreign Ministers of the BeNeLux met in The Hague
on 23 April 1955. Based on the Beyen memorandum and a memorandum of Jean Monnet
on nuclear energy
they drafted a joint memorandum to present to their colleagues of the European Coal and Steel Community
(ECSC). They finalized the memorandum on 18 May 1955 and presented it to the governments of France
, Germany
and Italy
on 20 May 1955. They proposed to hold an international conference to prepare integration in the fields mentioned in the memorandum, and to discuss the way towards a general integration of the European economy.
(the last was in the line of the approach taken with the ECSC). The common market was to be achieved by a gradual reduction of trade restriction and custom tariffs. Besides the economic domain the memorandum proposed an integration also at the social and financial domain. In addition they proposed the creation of a joint (supranational) independent authority.
assembled on 14 May 1955 decided that at the Messina Conference
to be held later that month they would discuss the way to move forward towards European integration.
Benelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
countries on 18 May 1955 as a means to reviving European integration on the basis of a general common market.
Background
The failure of the European Defence CommunityEuropean Defence Community
The European Defense Community was a plan proposed in 1950 by René Pleven, the French President of the Council , in response to the American call for the rearmament of West Germany...
(EDC) and the European Political Community
European Political Community
The European Political Community was proposed in 1952 as a combination of the existing European Coal and Steel Community and the proposed European Defence Community...
, brought the process of European integration to a standstill in 1954. At that moment Johan Willem Beyen (Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Minister for Foreign Affairs) took the initiative to revive an idea, based on the Ouchy Convention
Ouchy Convention
The Ouchy Convention was negotiated at Ouchy in June 1932, but signed at Geneva on 18 July 1932 between the two BLEU countries, Belgium and Luxembourg and the Netherlands. At the convention the three countries agreed to a gradual reduction of economic barriers and the creation of a customs union...
of 1932, he had already put forward in December 1952 and February 1953 for the European Political Community
European Political Community
The European Political Community was proposed in 1952 as a combination of the existing European Coal and Steel Community and the proposed European Defence Community...
(EPC). He proposed that the member states of the European Coal and Steel Community
European Coal and Steel Community
The European Coal and Steel Community was a six-nation international organisation serving to unify Western Europe during the Cold War and create the foundation for the modern-day developments of the European Union...
would develop a common market without customs duties or import quotas instead of a sector-based integration which had been the option taken by the ECSC. Beyen sent a memorandum to his BeNeLux
Benelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
colleagues Paul-Henri Spaak
Paul-Henri Spaak
Paul Henri Charles Spaak was a Belgian Socialist politician and statesman.-Early life:Paul-Henri Spaak was born on 25 January 1899 in Schaerbeek, Belgium, to a distinguished Belgian family. His grandfather, Paul Janson was an important member of the Liberal Party...
(Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
) and Joseph Bech (Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
) on 4 April 1955 in which he proposed his idea of a customs union.
The three Foreign Ministers of the BeNeLux met in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
on 23 April 1955. Based on the Beyen memorandum and a memorandum of Jean Monnet
Jean Monnet
Jean Omer Marie Gabriel Monnet was a French political economist and diplomat. He is regarded by many as a chief architect of European Unity and is regarded as one of its founding fathers...
on nuclear energy
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
they drafted a joint memorandum to present to their colleagues of the European Coal and Steel Community
European Coal and Steel Community
The European Coal and Steel Community was a six-nation international organisation serving to unify Western Europe during the Cold War and create the foundation for the modern-day developments of the European Union...
(ECSC). They finalized the memorandum on 18 May 1955 and presented it to the governments of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
on 20 May 1955. They proposed to hold an international conference to prepare integration in the fields mentioned in the memorandum, and to discuss the way towards a general integration of the European economy.
Summary
In the memorandum the BeNeLux proposed the establishment of an Economic Community based on a general common market and a sectoral approach for transport and energy, especially nuclear energyNuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
(the last was in the line of the approach taken with the ECSC). The common market was to be achieved by a gradual reduction of trade restriction and custom tariffs. Besides the economic domain the memorandum proposed an integration also at the social and financial domain. In addition they proposed the creation of a joint (supranational) independent authority.
Outcome
The Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel CommunityEuropean Coal and Steel Community
The European Coal and Steel Community was a six-nation international organisation serving to unify Western Europe during the Cold War and create the foundation for the modern-day developments of the European Union...
assembled on 14 May 1955 decided that at the Messina Conference
Messina Conference
The Messina Conference was held from 1 to 3 June 1955 at the Italian city of Messina, Sicily. The conference of the Foreign Ministers of the six Member States of the European Coal and Steel Community would lead to the creation of the European Economic Community in 1958...
to be held later that month they would discuss the way to move forward towards European integration.
Source
- Benelux memorandum (18 May 1955)
- Letter from the Netherlands Foreign Minister to his ECSC partners (14 February 1953)
- The Beyen Plan
- Raymond F. Mikesell, The Lessons of Benelux and the European Coal and Steel Community for the European Economic Community, The American Economic Review, Vol. 48, No. 2, Papers and Proceedings of the Seventieth Annual Meeting of the American Economic Association (May, 1958), pp. 428–441