History of the European Communities (1958–1972)
Encyclopedia
The history of the European Communities between 1958 and 1972 saw the early development of the European Communities
. The European Coal and Steel Community
(ECSC) had just been joined by the European Atomic Energy Community
(Euratom) and the European Economic Community
(EEC), the latter of which soon became the most important. In 1967 the EEC's institutions took over the other two with the EEC's Commission holding its first terms under Hallstein
and Rey
.
In 1958 the Committee of Permanent Representatives
(COREPER) was established. On 19 March the Parliamentary Assembly
(replacing the Common Assembly) meets for the first time for all three communities and elects Robert Schuman
as its President
. On 13 May members sit according to political, rather than national, allegiance for the first time.
in Stockholm
, which entered into force on 3 May of that year. In the following two years, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark and Norway applied for membership of the Communities, while the neutral countries Austria, Sweden and Switzerland asked for economic association agreements. Membership application was suspended due to opposition from then-French President Charles de Gaulle
to British membership, seeing it as a Trojan horse
for US influence.
Another crisis was triggered in regard to proposals for the financing of the Common Agricultural Policy, which came into force in 1962. The transitional period whereby decisions were made by unanimity had come to an end, and majority-voting in the Council had taken effect. De Gaulle's opposition to supranationalism and fear of the other members challenging the CAP led to an "empty chair policy" where by French representatives were withdrawn from the European institutions until the French veto was reinstated. Eventually, a compromise was reached with the Luxembourg compromise
on 29 January 1966 whereby a gentlemen's agreement
permitted members to use a veto on areas of national interest.
The Merger Treaty
is signed on 8 April 1965 and entered into force on 1 July 1967 merging all three Communities with common institutions. The head of the first Commission was Jean Rey
, appointed on 6 July of the same year (Rey Commission
).
prompted a shift, with France opening up to British accession. Negotiations begin on 30 June 1970, in Britain this was under the Conservative
government of Edward Heath
. His pro-European administration had to deal with problems relating to the Common Agricultural Policy
and the UK's relationship with the Commonwealth of Nations
. It also had to accept all decisions taken since the Merger Treaty. Negotiations take two years with the signing of accession treaties on 22 January 1972. Britain did not hold a referendum before joining; the results of the other three were as follows;
Norway failed to ratify with 53.5% against; they would try again in the years to come but on 1 January 1973, only the three remaining countries acceded.
European Communities
The European Communities were three international organisations that were governed by the same set of institutions...
. 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) had just been joined by the European Atomic Energy Community
European Atomic Energy Community
The European Atomic Energy Community is an international organisation which is legally distinct from the European Union , but has the same membership, and is governed by the EU's institutions....
(Euratom) and the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
(EEC), the latter of which soon became the most important. In 1967 the EEC's institutions took over the other two with the EEC's Commission holding its first terms under Hallstein
Hallstein Commission
The Hallstein Commission is the European Commission that held office from 7 January 1958 to 30 June 1967. Its President was Walter Hallstein and held two separate mandates.-Work:...
and Rey
Rey Commission
The Rey Commission is the European Commission that held office from 2 July 1967 to 30 June 1970. Its President was Jean Rey.-Work:It was the first Commission of the merged European Communities. It was the successor to the Hallstein Commission and was succeeded by the Malfatti Commission...
.
In 1958 the Committee of Permanent Representatives
Committee of Permanent Representatives
COREPER, from French Comité des représentants permanents, is the Committee of Permanent Representatives in the European Union, made up of the head or deputy head of mission from the EU member states in Brussels....
(COREPER) was established. On 19 March the Parliamentary Assembly
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
(replacing the Common Assembly) meets for the first time for all three communities and elects Robert Schuman
Robert Schuman
Robert Schuman was a noted Luxembourgish-born French statesman. Schuman was a Christian Democrat and an independent political thinker and activist...
as its President
President of the European Parliament
The President of the European Parliament presides over the debates and activities of the European Parliament. He or she also represents the Parliament within the EU and internationally. The President's signature is required for enacting most EU laws and the EU budget.Presidents serve...
. On 13 May members sit according to political, rather than national, allegiance for the first time.
De Gaulle and EFTA
In 1960, the "outer seven" (Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) established the European Free Trade AssociationEuropean Free Trade Association
The European Free Trade Association or EFTA is a free trade organisation between four European countries that operates parallel to, and is linked to, the European Union . EFTA was established on 3 May 1960 as a trade bloc-alternative for European states who were either unable to, or chose not to,...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, which entered into force on 3 May of that year. In the following two years, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark and Norway applied for membership of the Communities, while the neutral countries Austria, Sweden and Switzerland asked for economic association agreements. Membership application was suspended due to opposition from then-French President Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
to British membership, seeing it as a Trojan horse
Trojan Horse
The Trojan Horse is a tale from the Trojan War about the stratagem that allowed the Greeks finally to enter the city of Troy and end the conflict. In the canonical version, after a fruitless 10-year siege, the Greeks constructed a huge wooden horse, and hid a select force of men inside...
for US influence.
Another crisis was triggered in regard to proposals for the financing of the Common Agricultural Policy, which came into force in 1962. The transitional period whereby decisions were made by unanimity had come to an end, and majority-voting in the Council had taken effect. De Gaulle's opposition to supranationalism and fear of the other members challenging the CAP led to an "empty chair policy" where by French representatives were withdrawn from the European institutions until the French veto was reinstated. Eventually, a compromise was reached with the Luxembourg compromise
Luxembourg compromise
The Luxembourg compromise or Luxembourg Accords was an agreement reached in January 1966 which resolved differences within the European Economic Community....
on 29 January 1966 whereby a gentlemen's agreement
Gentlemen's agreement
A gentlemen's agreement is an informal agreement between two or more parties. It may be written, oral, or simply understood as part of an unspoken agreement by convention or through mutually beneficial etiquette. The essence of a gentlemen's agreement is that it relies upon the honor of the parties...
permitted members to use a veto on areas of national interest.
Merger Treaty
On 24 September 1963 the members reached an agreement on merging the executive bodies of the three Communities. A year later it is agreed the single "Commission" would have nine members: two from the large states, France, Germany and Italy, and one from the smaller Benelux states: Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg.The Merger Treaty
Merger Treaty
The Merger Treaty was a European treaty which combined the executive bodies of the European Coal and Steel Community , European Atomic Energy Community and the European Economic Community into a single institutional structure.The treaty was signed in Brussels on 8 April 1965 and came into force...
is signed on 8 April 1965 and entered into force on 1 July 1967 merging all three Communities with common institutions. The head of the first Commission was Jean Rey
Jean Rey (politician)
Jean Rey was a Belgian lawyer and Liberal politician who became the second President of the European Commission.-Early life:...
, appointed on 6 July of the same year (Rey Commission
Rey Commission
The Rey Commission is the European Commission that held office from 2 July 1967 to 30 June 1970. Its President was Jean Rey.-Work:It was the first Commission of the merged European Communities. It was the successor to the Hallstein Commission and was succeeded by the Malfatti Commission...
).
First enlargement
The UK resubmits its application on 11 May 1967, along with the other previous applicants. In 1969 a change in the French Presidency to Georges PompidouGeorges Pompidou
Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou was a French politician. He was Prime Minister of France from 1962 to 1968, holding the longest tenure in this position, and later President of the French Republic from 1969 until his death in 1974.-Biography:...
prompted a shift, with France opening up to British accession. Negotiations begin on 30 June 1970, in Britain this was under the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
government of Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
. His pro-European administration had to deal with problems relating to the Common Agricultural Policy
Common Agricultural Policy
The Common Agricultural Policy is a system of European Union agricultural subsidies and programmes. It represents 48% of the EU's budget, €49.8 billion in 2006 ....
and the UK's relationship with the Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
. It also had to accept all decisions taken since the Merger Treaty. Negotiations take two years with the signing of accession treaties on 22 January 1972. Britain did not hold a referendum before joining; the results of the other three were as follows;
- Ireland – 83.1% in favour (10 May) (see also: Third Amendment of the Constitution of IrelandThird Amendment of the Constitution of IrelandThe Third Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland permitted the state to join the European Communities and provided that European law would take precedence over the constitution...
) - Norway – 46.5% in favour (25 September)
- Denmark – 63.3% in favour (2 October)
Norway failed to ratify with 53.5% against; they would try again in the years to come but on 1 January 1973, only the three remaining countries acceded.
See also
- Malfatti CommissionMalfatti CommissionThe Malfatti Commission is the European Commission that held office from 1 July 1970 to 21 March 1972. Its President was Franco Maria Malfatti.- Work :...
- Mansholt CommissionMansholt CommissionThe Mansholt Commission is the European Commission that held office from 22 March 1972 to 5 January 1973. Its President was Sicco Mansholt.- Work :It was the successor to the Malfatti Commission and was succeeded by the Ortoli Commission...
- Bretton Woods systemBretton Woods systemThe Bretton Woods system of monetary management established the rules for commercial and financial relations among the world's major industrial states in the mid 20th century...
- Munich massacreMunich massacreThe Munich massacre is an informal name for events that occurred during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Bavaria in southern West Germany, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and eventually killed by the Palestinian group Black September. Members of Black September...
- Fouchet PlanFouchet Plan-Introduction:The Fouchet Plan was a plan proposed by President Charles de Gaulle of France in 1961. It was written by Christian Fouchet, France's ambassador to Denmark. The idea was to form a new 'Union of States', an intergovernmental alternative to the European Communities...