The European Constrution

Topic 2 The
formation of the European
Communities.

1. The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). The treaty of

Paris (1951).
2. The European Economic Community (EEC). The treaty of Rome
(1957).
3. The European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). The treaty
of Rome (1957).

1. ECSC(European Coal and Steel Community).

On the 9th of May, Robert Schuman made a special declaration

which became the document of great importance for the
development of European Integration. The idea about the formation
of ECSC was reflected in that declaration. Two countries were the
initiators: France and Germany. Robert Schuman wanted to stop
long lasting contradictions between France and Germany. This
Declaration oriented Europe at the economic unification.

The treaty about the ECSC was signed on the 18thof April 1951 in
Paris by six countries: Germany, France, Italy, Belgium,
Netherlands and Luxembourg (Benelux). Great Britain didn’t sign
the treaty because of the fear to loose a part of its sovereignty and it
hoped to keep specific relations with the USA.
The Treaty of Paris was ratified in July 1952. Jean Monnet was
elected the president of the High-authority of the ECSC.
Three main principals made the basis for the community. As the 1
Article of the treaty stated they were:

• Common market
• Common aims
• Common institutes

The objectives of the ECSC were:

•to put in order the common market
•to give equal excess to the sources of production for all the customers
of the common market
•to set the lowest prices
•to stimulate the production potential of the enterprises (factories)

Special institutes were formed to conduct the affairs of the

ECSC:
•the High-authority (President Jean Monnet) that had the right to
make decisions that were obligatory for all state organizations of the
member countries
•the Special Council of Ministers that had to secure the decisions of
the High-authority and to coordinate the activity of the High-
authority and the governments of the state members
•the Common Assembly resembled the European Parliament and
had the functions of control and consultations
•the Court of ECSC

The formation of the ECSC was a serious step of the European

countries in the direction of achieving a new level of integration- the
level of economic integration.

2.EEC (European Economic Community).

The attempts of the European countries to cooperate in the
military field and in the area of foreign affairs were not so
successful as in the economic area. Six countries signed on the 27
of May 1952 a treaty about European Defense Community
(EDC). France was the initiator of the formation of the EDC and
unfortunately France was the country that didn’t ratify the treaty
in 1954. That’s why the attempt to form the EDC failed.

Two meetings of the ministers of Foreign Affairs of 6 states

took place in 1955 and 1956. The main result of these 2 meetings in
Messina (Italy) was that on 25th of March 1957 two treaties were
signed in Rome. They were ratified on the 1st of January 1958 (EEC
and Euratom).
The EEC was the most important among 3 communities. This
treaty about EEC outlined the principles of the common
market:
•the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital
•the customs union and common external tariffs
•various community policies.
The unique character of the EEC was reflected in the system
of its institutes.

The institutes of the EEC were:

•European Parliamentary Assembly
•The Council
•The Commission
•The Court
The main role among these 4 institutes was given to the
Council. Each of the 6 governments delegated one member to the
Council.
The Current Affairs were solved by the Commission. The main
task of the Commission was to develop the common market and to
control its functioning.
 The Parliamentary Assembly and the Court were common for
all 3 communities. This is why the role of the Court was
greatly increased.
According the Treaty of Rome there were installed common European
policies such as:
• the policy of competition
• the agrarian policy
• the transport policy
Together with this common policies, 6 member states adopted
several coordinated policies such as:
-economic policy
-trade policy
-social policy
-regional policy and other.
So, the EEC developed the new level of European integration
that was higher and more significant in comparison with ECSC.

3. Euratom (The European Atomic Energy Community)

The treaty about this community was signed in March of 1957,
together with the treaty about EEC (25 March).
Jean Monnet was the initiator of the creation of Euratom. Like
ECSC, Euratom was a sectorial community, because it represented a
branch of economy. The Treaty of Rome declared the main aim of
Euratom as to ensure the growth of the atomic industry, to raise the
standard of life in the country members.
To realize this main aims Euratom had to:
• develop the research work
• guarantee that the Atomic materials would be used only for
necessary peaceful purposes/aims
• develop the common standards of security for the protection of
health of the employees of the atomic enterprises
• create the common market of special equipment for atomic
industry
• ensure the free movement of capitals for the investments into
atomic industry
• develop different contracts and connections with other countries
and international organizations in the direction of the peaceful
usage of atomic energy
`to ensure the specialists of the atomic industry with the free choice
of the place of their work.

The institutes of Euratom were the same as for EEC:

1.European Parliamentary Assembly >Parliament
2.the Council
3.the Commission
4.the Court

Summarizing the importance of those 3 communities, we can

say that EEC was the most important and significant as it comprised
the main spheres of integration: the economic, social and foreign
policy, while the ECSC and Euratom were aimed at the narrow
spheres of integration and they comprised only specific sectors of
economy.
All these 3 communities existed until 1992, when the formation
of European Union was declared. In 1992, those 3 communities have
become the first pillar of the European Union.