The Empty Chair Crises (1965-1966) Flashcards
What was the Empty Chair Crisis?
This event, known as the “Empty Chair Crisis”, affected the European Community.
In 1960, De Gaulle believed that a council of the heads of government should be created with a secretariat in Paris. He desired a European institution that would give France greater power in Europe.
He also sought to create a political union to further the economic union already in existence, the European Economic Community. This was his second attempt at creating more political coordination in Europe, the first being a Franco-Italian proposal that would have required that foreign ministers met outside the EEC structures regularly.
In July 1965, intergovernmentalist Charles de Gaulle boycotted European institutions due to issues he had regarding new political proposals by the European Commission.
De Gaulle believed that national governments should move towards integration and did not agree with the Commission’s attempt to create a shift towards supranationalism, extending powers beyond national borders.
He also opposed supranational decision-making within the CAP
What was the Fouchet Plan?
The Fouchet Plan was an unsuccessful plan written by Christian Fouchet, France’s ambassador to Denmark, and proposed by French President Charles de Gaulle in 1961 as part of de Gaulle’s grand design for Europe at the time.
The plan included a three-power directorate, consisting of France, Britain and the United States.
The idea was to form a new ‘Union of States’, an intergovernmental alternative to the European Communities that had been created a few years prior.
De Gaulle feared a loss of French national influence in the Communities, which were becoming increasingly supranational, so the plan was an attempt to keep the balance of power in France’s favour.
The success of the European Communities and the lack of enthusiasm of other states for the idea stopped the implementation of the Fouchet Plan.
After the failure of the Fouchet Plan and de Gaulle’s veto of the United Kingdom’s application for EC membership, the Commission attempted to move towards integration by proposing an idea that would combine the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the European Parliament, and the Commission.
De Gaulle supported the creation of the CAP and favoured its enactment.
However, he disagreed with the Parliament’s new role, the Commission’s strength, the shift towards supranationalism, and the budget proposals for financing the CAP. De Gaulle made it a condition that majority voting with a right to veto must exist if France was to participate in the European Community.
When de Gaulle was not granted a more intergovernmental Commission or voting and veto rights, the French representative left the Council of Ministers.
Decisions stalled, member states were displeased
CAP: Common Agricultural Policy (1962)
- The Treaty of Rome.
The CAP is conceived as a common policy, with the objectives of providing affordable food for EU citizens and a fair standard of living for farmers. - consumed almost 70% of the Community budget;
- food becomes plenty, overproduction;
- Investments in farming and technology;
- Community controls food production;
- Protects the environment and the animal welfare;
- Framers are paid extra for their agricultural produce;
- enhances food safetly;
The CAP is a common policy for all EU countries. It is managed and funded at European level from the resources of the EU’s budget.
Policies of CAP are voted on using qualified majority voting, a stipulation of the Luxembourg Compromise.
The Luxembourg Compromise (or “Luxembourg Accord”) was an agreement reached in January 1966 to resolve the “Empty Chair Crisis” which had caused a stalemate* within the European Economic Community (ECC).
*Stalemate = a situation in which further action or progress by opposing or competing parties seems impossible.
