Topic 9: The European Communities

Question 1

Jean Monnet

Answer 1

• no peace in Europe if States rebuild themselves on the basis of national sovereignty - due to its implications of prestige politics & economic protection
• thinks Euro countries not strong enough individually to guarantee prosperity and social development. The States of Europe must form a federation that would make them into a common economic unit

Monnet Plan for the modernization of French economy (1947-53): French control over the German regions of Ruhr and Saar

Question 2

Robert Schuman

Answer 2

Robert Schuman: French FA minister (1948-52).

Schuman Declaration (1950) [drafted jointly with Monnet]: proposal for the creation of a High Common Authority that will control the Franco-German production of coal and steel.

[Neofunctionalism: spill over]

Question 3

Paris Treaty (1951): European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)

Answer 3

1951: signature of the Paris Treaty establishing the ECSC (“Little Europe: BENELUX, France, Germany & Italy). Enters into force the 1952 for a period of 50 years

Technical aspect of ECSC:
creation of a future common market for coal and steel abolishing internal tariffs, quantitative restrictions to import-export, state subsidies, etc. - will allow to establish lowest prices, improvement of living and working conditions of labor force and modernization of production

Question 4

Rome Treaties (1957): 
European Economic Community (EEC) and European Community of Atomic Energy (ECAE or Euratom)

Answer 4

Through the Benelux Memorandum (1955), Benelux countries pretend to relaunch European construction process proposing an Economic Community based on a common market and a sectoral approach in transports and energy (including atomic).

* Ambiguous role of UK
* 1956: Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) begins in Brussels in order to draft 2 separate treaties creating a Common Market and an Atomic Energy Community. 
* 1957: signature in Rome of both treaties that create the EEC and Euratom. Same Member States as ECSC.

Question 5

European Free Trade Association (EFTA) (1959)

Answer 5

• UK prefers an industrial FTA instead of a customs union
• 1960: signature of the Stockholm Convention that creates the EFTA.
• In 1961 UK applies to EEC membership, but its entrance will be vetoed twice by France (1963 + 1967).
• In 1994 the European Economic Area is created to establish a Single European Market (EU member states + EFTA countries).

Question 6

Pleven Plan (1950)

Answer 6

• Pleven presents his proposal (EDC):
  * European army ≠ national armies
  * European Defence Minister accountable before a European Council of Ministers + before a European Assembly.
  * Soldiers should be incorporated at “smallest unit possible”
  * Common budget.
• Member States of EDC: “Little Europe”.

Question 7

European Defence Community (EDC) (1952)

Answer 7

Treaty of Paris creates EDC with same members as ECSC:

* Common armed forces: half a million soldiers under SACEUR command.
* Common budget 
* Collective defence clause
* EDC Parliamentary Assembly should present proposals for the creation of a new European Defence Assembly elected by universal suffrage, as well as proposals for the creation of a European federal structure (EPC)

Question 8

European Political Community (EPC)

Answer 8

1953 a draft of a EPC is presented:

• EPC will create a supranational European community
  * Two chambers (Parliament and Senate) with same legislative powers
  * Executive European Council
  * Council of Ministers
  * Court of Justice

Question 9

French denial to European Defence Community (1954)

Answer 9

• 1954: Pierre Mendès-France gets to power in France: more nationalist French foreign policy
• French public opinion against EDC
• Under public opinion pressure, at the Brussels Conference (1954), Mendes-France proposes the other 5 governments to introduce some anti-supranational amendments. No agreement
• 1954: French National Assembly turns down EDC

Question 10

René Pleven

Answer 10

French PM

presents at the French National Assembly his proposal of a Euro army under Euro collective control (European Defence Community)

Question 11

reactions to Pleven Plan

Answer 11

Negative reactions to the Plan by USA, French public opinion, German Federal Republic public opinion & BENELUX.

Two simultaneous negotiations began:

(1) Bonn: German military participation at NATO .
(2) Paris: negotiations to create EDC .