The Failure of European Defence Community and of European Political Community

cmdHistory of European Integration

2012-2013

European Defence Community (René Pleven plan)

• Basis of:-Korean war (25 June 1950-27 July 1953)-American call to rearm Germany (Sept. 1950, New-York Conference – D. Acheson, E. Bevin, R. Schuman) (America is ready to send more troops in Europe only beside on European troops, German troops included)

European Defence Community (René Pleven plan)

• French opposition to American call: René Pleven plan (a Schuman plan in defence field)

• Characteristics:-establishment of an integrated European army, composed by ECSC members, Germany included (!Germany cannot establish a national army!);-French troops = German troops-common staff-European army have to be subordinated to NATO staff and surveyed by an independent organisation, established by all Member States;

European Defence Community (René Pleven plan)

• 28 May 1952: signature of the EDC Treaty• 30 August 1954: rejection by French National AssemblyFailure causes:-incapacity to renounce to a part of national sovereignty;-structure of French National Assembly (gaullist majority)French communists’ opposition to rear Germany;-internal disputes between French socialists and radicals;-international more calm situation (Korean armistice; Stalin’ death; end of war from Indochine following to the Geneva Accords, at July 21, 1954)

European Political Community• Proposed in 1952 as a (federal) solution for ECSC and EDC progress

(the political role of the Council of Europe seemed ever unrealisable);• P. H. Spaak influence• Supranational characteristics

-Bicameral Parliament (elected by universal vote, composed by the representatives of national parliaments);

-European Executive Council, collegial body responsible toward the above-mentioned Parliament; its president had to be elected by the Senat of the above-mentioned Parliament;

-Council of Ministers, intergovernmental institution, composed by the representatives of national governements (decisional body, beside of Executive Council);

European Political Community

• Role: to immerse, in the next 2 years, ECSC, EDC, to coordinate (by the Executive Council) the High Authority of ECSC;

• Attributions-foreign policy and defence;-economic and social integration;-respect of human rights;-to coordinate the foreign policy of Member States and to create a common economic market;

Failure of EPC

• Causes-1953-1954: disinterest of Member Countries and lack of any meeting of their Foreign Affairs Ministers;-the unfavorable period when project was initiated;-lengthy diplomatic negotiations;-failure to adopt EDC by French Parliament;*EPC is the first initiative to provide the European integrity at supranational level, not by the government of member states; it was the institutional corollary of EDC;

European Economic Community

• 1955, Conference of Messina: relaunching of ECSC and Common Market;

-Benelux’ initiative to create a common economic market (Spaak Report on common market and the market of nuclear energy);• March 25, 1957: Treaty of Rome (based on Spaak

Report)-EEC-EURATOM-ECSC

European Economic Community

• Common Market meant:-merging of national markets in a given deadline;-establishing collective tools and methods to put it into practice; -forbidden of the dumping and holding practices;-diminishing the national protectionism;-cooperation of Member States in order to obtain monetary stability, economic development and social welfare;

European Economic Community

• Methods to create Common Market-by eliminating the internal tariffs and custom barriers;-by establishing common external tariffs and common internal regulations;-by eliminating the national derogations in economic laws;-by adopting specific taxes and social laws;-by the free movement of labor and capital;

European Economic Community

• Stages of Common Market-1958-1961: reducing the internal custom taxes with at least 25%, increasing of import limits with at least 60%, harmonising custom legislation;-1962-1966: reducing with 25% the internal custom taxes, increasing with 80% of import limits, reducing with 30% of the differences between national and common custom tariffs;-1967-1969: complete elimination of internal custom taxes, of internal import limits; general application of common custom tariffs; free movement of individuals and goods;

European Economic Community

• Common Market attributions-realising a custom and tariffs union, of a common trade policy;-to provide the free movement of services, goods, capitals and individuals;-to harmonise national legislations;-to establish common policies in the fields of agriculture and transportation;-collaboration with non-European markets.

European Economic Community

• Results of emerged Common Market-1970: Community trade increased sixfold; exchanges of EEC with thiers increased threefold; EEC’ NBP (pnb) will increase with 70%;-emergence of CAP (establishment of common market for some agricultural goods)-social policies: of European Social Fund;

EURATOM Treaty• Objectives:-establishing the necessary framework to survey the development of the new type of energy and industry, the researches in the field of, • Common actions in the field of:-development and improvement of industrial technologies;-free movement of experts;-common norms of protection for the workers;-common norms concerning research and dissemination of knowledge, and nuclear security;-establishment of a common market of nuclear energy;• France, 1966, fail of integrator character of EURATOM

EEC Institutions

• Ministerial Council (FP ministries or others; the main coordinator of economic common policies; Votes: 10-UK, Fr, Ge, It; 5-Be, Nl; 3-Dk, Ir; 2-Lu)

• Executive Commission (to elaborate the common norms and policies; to survey the achievement of common norms and treaties and of the policies elaborated by Ministerial Council and other common institutions)

• Court of Justice (decided on the legal character of different common norms and policies)

• European Parliament

EEC Difficulties.

• Crisis of empty chair (Jun. ’65-Jan. ’66), followed by “Luxembourg compromise”

• Ch. de Gaulle• German left opposition

*******• European Free Trade Association/EFTA ()