1. Lecture 3: The early development of the European Union - 1952-1985. Prof. Andreas Bieler

2. Structure of the lecture: I. Post-war international developments; II. Post-war domestic developments; III. First steps of European integration; IV. 1966 to 1985: The “dark ages” of integration?

3. I. Post-war international developments: 1. 1947 Marshall plan for the reconstruction of European economies; 2. 1948 Council of Europe; 3. 1949 Establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation;

4. II. Post-war domestic developments: 1. France; 2. Germany; 3. Britain;

5. III. First steps of European integration: 1. 1952 European Coal and Steel Community; 2. 1954 European Defence Community; 3. 1957/58 European Economic Community and European Atomic Energy Community;

6. 4. Neo-functionalist explanation of European integration: start of European integration in 1952 was the result of the common recognition that co-operation in the reconstruction of national industries would yield higher welfare gains; move to EEC and Euratom in 1957/58 as a case of functional spill-over; completion of Customs Union in 1968 ahead of schedule as an instance of political spill-over;

7. 5. The empty chair crisis in 1965/66: De Gaulle’s vision for the EU: a union of independent states; Commission package deal in 1965 including own resources for the EU; Luxembourg compromise: establishment of the right to a national veto;

8. 6. Intergovernmentalist explanation: start of European integration in 1952 was due to a convergence of state’s interest on economic co-operation, an area of ‘low politics’; this was possible, since the bipolar structure of the Cold War made military competition between Western European countries impossible; 1954 EDC failed, since states are not prepared to integrate in an area of ‘high politics’; halt of integration in 1965/66 due to missing convergence of national interests;

9. IV. 1966 to 1985: The ‘dark ages’ of integration? 1. the question of British EU membership; 2. several rounds of enlargement after Pompidou became the new French President; 3. October 1970 – establishment of European Political Co- operation; 4. 1974 – institutionalisation of regular European Council meetings;

10. 1966 to 1985: The ‘dark ages’ of integration? 5. 1979 – first direct elections to the European Parliament; 6. 1979 – launch of the European Monetary System; 7. Intergovernmentalist explanation: intensification of co-operation, but no further step of integration, i.e. the pooling or transfer of sovereignty;