The Founding of the European Union

Historical overview of the European integration project

Inter war years

Preservation of peace and security An overall political authority to

manage European conflicts Federalism: a liberal intellectual

current

War years

Crisis of nation state system (balance of power)

Crisis of the state (invasion / collaboration / ideological division)

Anti-Nazi resistance: break with nationalism

Reconstruction of politics through a European federal state

Post-war

Practical co-ordination of reconstruction

Integration of defeated states Need security system for western

Europe New emphasis on economic

modernisation and living standards

Solutions

French-German co-operation / integration

Contain Germany in an integrated Europe

Federalists: promote federal ideal, a popular movement

The UK

Churchill had proposed Anglo-French Union in 1940 ad suggested a United States of Europe with common institutions and military

1946 in Zurich, Churchill: European project should be based around France and Germany, not Britain

Britain was ‘with Europe but not of it’

The Founding Fathers

Jean MONNET – French businessman and Planning Minister

Robert SCHUMANN – French Foreign Minister

Committed to federal vision, but also practical politics and specific forms of integration

European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)

1951 Treaty of Paris: unifies coal and steel industries of France and Germany. Economic integration for the prevention of conflict.

Joined by Italy and the Benelux countries

4 common institutions: High Authority; Council of Ministers; Assembly; Court

Extension of integration: 1950s

1952 European Defence Community proposed but rejected by UK and France

1954: Western European Union for military cooperation

1955: Spaak Report proposes a Customs Union to further integration

1957: Goal of Common Market

Treaty of Rome (1957)

The ‘six’ create the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) through signing the Treaties of Rome. They came into effect on 1 January 1958.

Key developments

1965: French boycott establishes national veto

1973: First enlargement – Denmark, Ireland and the UK join

1979: European Parliament becomes directly elected by universal suffrage

1981: Accession of Greece 1986: Accession of Spain and Portugal

Single European Act (1986)

Timetable and implementation provisions for Single European Market

EEC becomes EC Some additional powers for

Parliament Formalised Qualified Majority Voting Considered the ‘relaunch’ of Europe

after ‘Eurosclerosis’ of 1970s

Treaty on European Union (1992) Maastricht Treaty, into effect 1 November

1993 Created 3 pillar system:

Supranational Pillar I: EMU, the Treaties

Intergovernmental Pillar II: Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)

Intergovernmental Pillar III: Justice and Home Affairs (JHA)

Established European citizenship

From 6 to 27

1995: Austria, Finland and Sweden accede to EU (Norway no in referendum)

1997: Treaty of Amsterdam 2000: Treaty of Nice – institutional reform

for enlargement 2002: Launch of single currency 2004: Enlargement to the East 2005: Constitution for Europe 2007 Bulgaria and Romania join