1. History of European Cooperation and Integration
The Beginnings of European Integration after World War II

2. Introduction New website for this class:
Pro-integrationist forces after WWII
Post-war challenges in Europe
The beginnings of economic integration
Failure of “common defense” project
The Treaties of Rome

3. 1) Pro-integrationist forces after WWII
WWII – a new impulse for federalist movement
Diverging views on how the face of Europe should be changed
December 1947 – International Movement for European Unity – a committee coordinating activities of various organizations promoting European unity
- Prominent members included W. Churchill and Coudenhove-Calerghi; supported by the US
 European Congress in Haague

4. European Congress in Haague – May 1948
Attracted high profile statesmen: Robert Schuman, Alcide de Gasperi, Paul-Henri Spaak, Konrád Adenauer
Goal: to negotiate proposals for creation of European organization fostering political, cultural and economic cooperation
Conflict between federalists and intergovernmentalists
Paved way for the Council of Europe

5. Council of Europe
May 5, Council of Europe Statute signed in London
First post-WWII international political org. in Europe
- 10 founding members (Bel, Net, Lux, Den, Fr, Ire, Ita, Nor, Swe, UK)
- Seat in Strasbourg
- Active in the area of human rights and political freedoms
Core: European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamentals Freedoms -1950
European Court of Human Rights
- “Democratic conscience of Europe”
- today: 46 members vs. puny political impact

6. 2) Post-war challenges in Europe
Economic instability – limits of common action
“The German Problem”
USSR and its sphere of influence

7. Economic instability – limits of common action
Economic problems threaten political stability and cooperation
Marshall plan – 1947: 13 billion USD = 5% US HNP)
Conditionality – recipients must strip down trade barriers & create an international org. to distribute the aid
Also offered to USSR and its satellites – turned down
OEEC – 1948 – to distribute aid, reduce tariffs & quotas, support international trade
- conflict between French (supranat.) & British (intgov.) approach – intgov. won
PROVIDED IMPORTANT LESSONS FOR SUBSEQUENT ECONOMIC INTEGRATION

8. “The German Problem”
Opposing views on GER future on part of the occupation powers US, FR, GB and USSR
Anxious FR  Bruselss pact in 1948
Eventually, western allies agreed on common stance (reaction to Soviet activities)
Introduction of Deutsche Mark 1948 Berlin blockade  considered an opening scene of the Cold War

9. Soviet threat US administration feared growing influence of USSR
NATO – April 4, 1949 – Defensive alliance of US, CAN and European allies (without GER), European allies little to contribute
FR – very anxious about potential resurgence of GER power  need to find a solution

10. 3) The beginnings of economic integration
Ruhr Authority – 1948 – strategic resources control by Allies
Schuman plan (author - Jean Monnet)
- Gradual integration of economic sectors
Based on common market with coal and steel
By fostering interdependence – growth of trust, economic prosperity, normalization of international relations
Form: supranational organization managed by High Authority – independent on governments, powerful
USA supported the idea from the outset

11. Schuman Plan in Europe
GER supported Schuman plan (Chancellor Adenauer) – reasons: emancipation, industrial development
Other interested parties – IT, Benelux
UK + “Nordic fringe” – not supportive. Reasons – ssovereignty and different economic policies

12. European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)
Members not united over the powers and institutional structure of the proposed community  compromise between federative and intergov. approach:
High Authority – fed., Council – intergov
HA – main executive powers within the Treaty’s framework
Council – Must approve HA actions, balancing the influence of big member states (MS)
Assembly – weak, merely control by national parliaments
Court of Justice – independent arbiter, highest legal authority
ECSC based on political consensus
Treaty of Paris April 1951 – GER,FR, BEL, NET, LUX, ITA, limited to 50 years
- Predestined modus operandi of all subsequent ECs

13. 4) Failure of “common defense” project
ECSC – partially dispelled FR anxiety over GER
USA pushing for GER remilitarization for defense purposes
FR against GER admission to NATO – weakly policed
Pleven plan – European armies joined under single supranational command, creation of European Defense Community
EDC linked with ECSC via political cooperation in the framework of European Political Community (EPC)
1953 – EDC turned down by FR parliament

14. Further Economic Integration
Federalists’ attempts for political community failed
ECSC – successful, fast development of new economic sectors offered another chance
Further development – intergovernmental or supranational?
Intergovernmental – broad support by most WE states
Supranational – greater added value from federalists’ point of view

15. Further Economic Integration (2)
ECSC member chose the supranational formula (influenced by Monnet)
Two strands
- Common market
Nuclear energy

16. 5) The Treaties of Rome March 1957 – EURATOM and EEC
Unlimited time-span
Three „European Communities“
Similar institutional structure
Mandate given by international treaties

17. EURATOM
Goal: common market with nuclear material, R&D support for peaceful purposes, proliferation control
Common development strategy, sharing of information
Initially perceived as more progressive (broader consensus)
LIMITS: project limited by changing national interests
Common market limited, states kept control of strategic resources supply chains

18. European Economic Community (EEC)
Goal: creation of common market based on the so-called 4 freedoms – goods, capital, persons and services
In steps: Free trade area, customs union and harmonization of legal requirements
Broad and often open-ended mandate (see Art 2)

19. Institutional Structure of EEC
Based on ECSC model
Commission, Council of Ministers, Assembly, Court of Justice and an advisory body called Economic and Social Committee (ECOSOC)
Assembly and Court – Common for all Communities
Other institutions merged in 1965 via Merger Treaty

20. Conclusions Reasons forging EC both external and internal pressures
Supranational cooperation, only six “core” countries
Other states reluctant to compromise on their sovereignty
Economic cooperation – viable alternative to political and defense cooperation
Similar trends observable till today

21. Reading
Founding Treaties ECSC, EURATOM, EEC at
Reader from Dinan’s Europe Recast