Foundation of the European Union

Europe 1945 - 1957

15 November 2014

Naveen Nikamanth A BHemanth T

Pre-1945 ideas After the American War of Independence the vision of a

United States of Europe similar to the United States of America was shared by a few prominent Europeans.

Some suggestion of a European union can be inferred from Immanuel Kant's 1795 proposal for an "eternal peace congress".

Attempts after first world war didn’t gain strength due to the Great depression, rise of communism and Fascism.

Early advocates of a union of European nations was Hungarian Prime Minister Pál Teleki. Emphasized formation of a Union to ensure economic and military security to smaller nations.

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World War 2

Why did World War 2 happen?

Difference in ideology

The Axis powers’ Totalitarianism, autocracy and fascism.

Hitler’s “Lebensraum” – Living space for Germans.

Nazi’s desire to expand boundaries for self sustenance of the over populated Germany.

What if there was an external body to deal with this problem of food shortage?

Death Toll

USSR -20 million

Germany – 4.2 million

Poland – 5.8 million

France – 600,000

USA – 400,000

UK – 388,000

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Source:Gregory Frumkin, Population Changes in Europe Since 1939

The Red Scare

Two Ideologically apposed super powers

Nuclear weapons - War could lead to the destruction of Human species

Momentum towards European Cooperation

Churchill’s idea of “United States of Europe”

1948 – Council of Europe.

Integration of Western Europe

Marshal Plan

Brussels treaty

The NATO Actual motive: To spread

capitalistic democracy in western Europe

Led to Economic integration

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Schumann declaration - 9th May, 1950

Certain values such as justice could not be defined by the State apparatus alone. Needed a common High Authority especially in allocating resources.

Fore runner for the integration of Coal and steel industries of France and West Germany

AIMS Make war between Member States

impossible World peace Unification of Europe through

sectored supranational communities Sharing European resources in a

supranational union Single Market

“Europe will be born from this, a Europe which is solidly united and constructed around a strong framework. It will be a Europe where the standard of living will rise by grouping together production and expanding markets, thus encouraging the lowering of prices.”

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Treaty of Paris (1951) Between France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the

Netherlands and Luxemburg

Formation of ECSC

ECSC Objective : organizing free movement of coal and steel

and free access to sources of production

Why ? This choice was not only economic but also political, as these two raw materials were the basis of the industry and power of the two countries. The underlying political objective was to strengthen Franco-German solidarity, banish the specter of war and open the way to European integration

Other Institutions established - a High Authority, an Assembly, a Council of Ministers and a Court of Justice

Impact

Neither changed the pattern of production nor the pattern of trade

Served its primary purpose : Assuring that Germany would not again become a dominant force in the continent

Once the threat of German dominance of coal and steel was over there was no impetus for integration

The HA did not set European steel policy and the ECJ did not serve as a force for integration

Failure of EDC The E.D.C. was a wise move on the part of the French to

counterbalance the U.S. strategic thinking in the aftermath of the Second World War. The French fear as a consequence of the U.S. decision to rearm Germany was, perhaps, the driving factor for the French Prime Minister

Their primary aim was to create a stable Europe so that the U.S. private sector could operate and make business in the Continent

Germany was a reliable and predictable partner for the U.S. to promote its liberal policies on the Continent, whereas France was resisting the plan

Role of Britain in its failure – subjugation of their armed forces to a higher power. Drop in efficiency

Role of WEU The integration of the Federal Republic of Germany into

the Atlantic Alliance;

The restoration of confidence among Western European countries by assuming responsibilities for arms control;

Settlement of the Saar problem;

Consultation between the European Community founding Member States and the United Kingdom

Re-Unification of Saarland

After World War II, the Saarland

came under French occupation

In 1954, France and the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) developed a detailed plan called the Saarstatut to establish an independent Saarland. However the Referendum was rejected.

On 27 October 1956 the Saar Treaty declared that Saarland should be allowed to join the Federal Republic of Germany, which it did on 1 January 1957

Treaties of Rome

Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany

Founding of European Economic Community

Euratom Treaty

Initially, the Common Assembly proposed extending the powers of the ECSC to cover other sources of energy

The Benelux states and Germany were also keen on creating a general common market, although it was opposed by France due to its protectionism

Two separate communities proposed by Paul Henri Spaak –EEC and Euratom

EECObjectives

to transform the conditions of trade and manufacture on the territory of the Community

EEC as a contribution towards the functional construction of a political Europe and constituted a step towards the closer unification of Europe.

Contributions

Establishment of a common market

Establishment of a customs union

Development of common policies

Euratom The original members were Belgium, France, West

Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands

a nuclear-energy industry on a European rather than a national scale

coordinate research in atomic energy, encourage the construction of nuclear-power installations, establish safety and health regulations, encourage the free flow of information and the free movement of personnel, and establish a common market for trade in nuclear equipment and materials

European Community