Why was European integration initially more economic than political?
1. Difficult beginnings
- The ECSC. Robert Schuman, Minister of Foreign Affairs, wants to promote Franco-German reconstruction and reconciliation. With the help of Jean Monnet, on May 9, 1950, he proposed a European industrial rapprochement. The Treaty, signed by six countries in 1951, established the ECSC, the first European Community organization.
- A political and military Europe. Faced with the worsening of the Cold War, the United States wants to re-arm the FRG. But France wants to avoid the reconstruction of an independent German army. It proposes the EDC, that is to say, a European army or German soldiers would be integrated into a larger whole.
- The failure of the EDC. Ratified by the other states, the treaty of the EDC is rejected by France. On 30 August 1954, the Communist and Gaullist deputies rejected it because they defended French sovereignty and refused German rearmament.
2. The revival of Europe through the economy
- The Treaties of Rome. Desiring to relaunch European construction, the six ECSC countries signed the Treaties of Rome on 25 March 1957. The first treaty established the EEC. In 12 years, it will lead to a common market and common policies and legislation. The latter organizes cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.
- A compromise on institutions. The institutions of the ECSC serve as a model for the EEC. Power is shared between the Commission and the Council of Ministers. The latter shall vote unanimously on important decisions and by qualified majority the others.
3. The French blockade.
- The Gaullian conception. In 1958, De Gaulle returned to power. It accepts the EEC provided it is a tool in the service of French power. He is committed to the independence of France and hopes that Europe will not be subject to the United States. He opposed, in 1963 and 1967, the entry of Great Britain, which he considered too close to Washington. It defends a Europe of States and proposes to its European partners intergovernmental cooperation in diplomacy and defense. The project, too little federal and hostile to the United States, was rejected by the other states.
Vocabulary:
- ECSC: European Coal and Steel Community. It creates a common market for steel and coal between France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemburg and West Germany(FRG)
- EEC: European Economic Community, it establishes a common market and common policies to bring the Member States closer together.
- EDC: European Defense Community established in 1952 but finally failed.
- Unanimity: voting procedure based on the agreement of all members. The principle of State sovereignty is respected, at the risk of blocking the functioning of the institutions and of preventing the implementation of common policies.
- Qualified majority: voting procedure where each State has a number of votes commensurate with its population. To be adopted, a decision must reach a certain number of votes (in 1958, 12 votes out of 17).