Messina Conference
Encyclopedia
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
(ECSC) would lead to the creation of the European Economic Community
in 1958. The delegations of the six participating countries were headed by Johan Willem Beyen (Netherlands), Gaetano Martino
(Italy), Joseph Bech (Luxembourg), Antoine Pinay
(France), Walter Hallstein
(Germany), and Paul-Henri Spaak
(Belgium). Joseph Bech was chairman of the meeting.
The Foreign Ministers of the ECSC had to meet in order to nominate a member of the High Authority of the ECSC and to appoint its new President and Vice-Presidents for the period expiring on 10 February 1957. The meeting was held at Messina (and partially in Taormina
) at the request of Gaetano Martino
, the Italian Foreign Minister, who was detained in Sicily because of the Regional Assembly elections. They appointed René Mayer
as President of the High Authority to replace Jean Monnet
. The ministers also reappointed the Belgian, Albert Coppé
, and the German, Franz Etzel
, as Vice-Presidents of the College.
In addition to the above mentioned agenda, the meeting included consideration of the action programme to relaunch European integration. In August 1954 the plans had collapsed to create a European Political Community
and a common defence force, the European Defence Community
, as a substitute for the national armies of Germany, France, Italy and the three Benelux
countries, when France refused to ratify the Treaty. The six ECSC countries then turned their attention to the idea of a customs union
, which was elaborated at Messina. The final resolution of the conference, largely reflecting the point of view of the three Benelux countries, formed the basis for further work to relaunch European integration. The Benelux countries in their BeNeLux memorandum
proposed a revival of European integration on the basis of a common market and integration in the transport and atomic energy sectors.
At first the name of Paul van Zeeland
, former Belgian Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, was mentioned to head the committee which was to work out a proposal. Johan Willem Beyen however proposed Paul-Henri Spaak
, who was entrusted, on 18 June, with the production of a report at an Intergovernmental Committee in order to evaluate the option of a sectoral integration or the step-by-step establishment of a European common market. The Spaak Report
of the Spaak Committee
and the subsequent Intergovernmental Conference on the Common Market and Euratom
which was held at the Castle of the Valley of the Duchess
would lead to the Treaties of Rome in 1957 and the formation of the European Economic Community
and Euratom in 1958.
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) would lead to the creation of 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...
in 1958. The delegations of the six participating countries were headed by Johan Willem Beyen (Netherlands), Gaetano Martino
Gaetano Martino
Gaetano Martino was an Italian politician and university teacher.A native of Messina, Sicily, he was a member of Italian Liberal Party. Gaetano Martino was one of the participants of the Messina Conference in 1955, which would lead to the Treaty of Rome in 1957...
(Italy), Joseph Bech (Luxembourg), Antoine Pinay
Antoine Pinay
Antoine Pinay |Rhône]], France – 13 December 1994) was a French conservative politician. He served as Prime Minister of France in 1952.-Life:As a young man, Pinay fought in World War I and injured his arm so that it was paralyzed for the rest of his life....
(France), Walter Hallstein
Walter Hallstein
Walter Hallstein was a German politician and professor.He was one of the key figures of European integration after World War II, becoming the first President of the Commission of the European Economic Community, serving from 1958 to 1967. He famously defined his position as "a kind of Prime...
(Germany), and 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). Joseph Bech was chairman of the meeting.
The Foreign Ministers of the ECSC had to meet in order to nominate a member of the High Authority of the ECSC and to appoint its new President and Vice-Presidents for the period expiring on 10 February 1957. The meeting was held at Messina (and partially in Taormina
Taormina
Taormina is a comune and small town on the east coast of the island of Sicily, Italy, in the Province of Messina, about midway between Messina and Catania. Taormina has been a very popular tourist destination since the 19th century...
) at the request of Gaetano Martino
Gaetano Martino
Gaetano Martino was an Italian politician and university teacher.A native of Messina, Sicily, he was a member of Italian Liberal Party. Gaetano Martino was one of the participants of the Messina Conference in 1955, which would lead to the Treaty of Rome in 1957...
, the Italian Foreign Minister, who was detained in Sicily because of the Regional Assembly elections. They appointed René Mayer
René Mayer
René Mayer was a French Radical politician of the Fourth Republic who served briefly as Prime Minister during 1953. He led the Mayer Authority from 1955 to 1958.-Mayer's Ministry, 8 January – 28 June 1953:*René Mayer – President of the Council...
as President of the High Authority to replace 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...
. The ministers also reappointed the Belgian, Albert Coppé
Albert Coppé
Albert Coppé was a Belgian and European politician and economist. He was a founding member of the CDV party and served in the European Commission as Commissioner for Social Affairs, Transport & Budget under the Malfatti & Mansholt Commissions...
, and the German, Franz Etzel
Franz Etzel
Franz Etzel was a German politician for the CDU. From 1949 to 4 January 1953 and from 1957 to 1967 Etzel was member of the German Bundestag. From 1957 to 1961 he was Minister of Finance.-See also:*List of German finance ministers...
, as Vice-Presidents of the College.
In addition to the above mentioned agenda, the meeting included consideration of the action programme to relaunch European integration. In August 1954 the plans had collapsed to create a 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...
and a common defence force, the European Defence Community
European 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...
, as a substitute for the national armies of Germany, France, Italy and the three 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...
countries, when France refused to ratify the Treaty. The six ECSC countries then turned their attention to the idea of a customs union
Customs union
A customs union is a type of trade bloc which is composed of a free trade area with a common external tariff. The participant countries set up common external trade policy, but in some cases they use different import quotas...
, which was elaborated at Messina. The final resolution of the conference, largely reflecting the point of view of the three Benelux countries, formed the basis for further work to relaunch European integration. The Benelux countries in their BeNeLux memorandum
BeNeLux memorandum, 1955
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.-Background:...
proposed a revival of European integration on the basis of a common market and integration in the transport and atomic energy sectors.
At first the name of Paul van Zeeland
Paul van Zeeland
Paul Guillaume van Zeeland was a Belgian lawyer, economist, Catholic politician and statesman born in Soignies....
, former Belgian Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, was mentioned to head the committee which was to work out a proposal. Johan Willem Beyen however proposed 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...
, who was entrusted, on 18 June, with the production of a report at an Intergovernmental Committee in order to evaluate the option of a sectoral integration or the step-by-step establishment of a European common market. The Spaak Report
Spaak Report
The Spaak report or Brussels Report on the General Common Market, was the report drafted by the Spaak Committee in 1956. The Intergovernmental Committee, headed by Paul-Henri Spaak presented its definitive report on 21 April 1956 to the six Governments of the Member States of the European Coal and...
of the Spaak Committee
Spaak Committee
The Spaak Committee was an Intergovernmental Committee set up by the Foreign Ministers of the six Member States of the European Coal and Steel Community as a result of the Messina Conference of 1955. The Spaak Committee started its work on 9 July 1955 and ended on 20 April 1956, when the Heads of...
and the subsequent Intergovernmental Conference on the Common Market and Euratom
Intergovernmental Conference on the Common Market and Euratom
The Intergovernmental Conference on the Common Market and Euratom was held in Brussels and started on 26 June 1956 with a session in the Grand Salon of the Belgian Foreign Ministry. The negotiations went on at the Castle of the Valley of the Duchess in Auderghem and would continue until March 1957...
which was held at the Castle of the Valley of the Duchess
Castle of the Valley of the Duchess
The Castle of Val-Duchesse is a former priory situated in the municipality of Auderghem in the Brussels Capital Region of Belgium. The castle is owned by the Belgian Royal Trust....
would lead to the Treaties of Rome in 1957 and the formation of 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...
and Euratom in 1958.