European Communities

European Communities
Name	European Communities
Linking name	the European Communities
Symbol type	Emblem (1973–1983)
Admin center	Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg
Languages	Dutch, English, French, German, Italian
Leader title1	President of the European Commission
Leader name1	Jacques Delors (last)
Leader title2	President of the European Parliament
Leader name2	Egon Klepsch (last)
Established event1	Treaty of Paris
Established date1	18 April 1951
Established event2	Treaty of Rome
Established date2	25 March 1957
Established event3	Merger Treaty
Established date3	8 April 1965
Established event4	Maastricht Treaty
Established date4	1 November 1993
Area km2	3,325,700 (1993)
Population estimate	~380 million (1993)
GDP PPP	$6.5 trillion (1993 est.)
Today	European Union

European Communities. The European Communities (EC) were the collective framework of three distinct international organizations founded in Western Europe after the Second World War to foster economic integration and political cooperation. This structure, comprising the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Economic Community (EEC), and the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom), formed the core institutional and legal foundation for what would later become the European Union. The EC era was characterized by the creation of a customs union, the development of common policies, and the establishment of supranational institutions that pooled sovereignty among member states, setting a precedent for unprecedented regional integration.

History

The origins of the European Communities lie in the Schuman Declaration of 1950, proposed by Robert Schuman and conceived by Jean Monnet, which led to the founding Treaty of Paris establishing the European Coal and Steel Community. This first community, joined by Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, placed key war industries under a common High Authority. Building on this success, the Treaty of Rome of 1957 created the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community, aiming to establish a broader common market and coordinate nuclear energy. The Merger Treaty of 1965 consolidated the executive institutions of the three communities, and subsequent decades saw major developments like the Luxembourg Compromise, the launch of the European Monetary System, and the signing of the Single European Act.

Institutions

The institutional structure of the European Communities was defined by the Merger Treaty and later refined. The principal institutions included the European Commission, based primarily in Brussels, which held the exclusive right to propose legislation and acted as the executive. The Council of the European Communities, representing national governments, was the main legislative body, while the European Parliament, initially with consultative powers, gained influence through treaties like the Single European Act and was directly elected from 1979. The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg ensured the uniform interpretation of European Community law, issuing landmark rulings such as in Van Gend en Loos v Nederlandse Administratie der Belastingen. Other key bodies included the European Court of Auditors and the Economic and Social Committee.

Legal framework

The European Communities operated under a unique supranational legal order distinct from traditional international law. The foundational treaties—the Treaty of Paris, the Treaty of Rome, and the Euratom Treaty—acted as a constitutional framework. A cornerstone principle was direct effect, established by the European Court of Justice in Van Gend en Loos v Nederlandse Administratie der Belastingen, which allowed individuals to invoke European Community law in national courts. The principle of primacy, affirmed in Costa v ENEL, ensured that Community law overrode conflicting national legislation. This legal system enabled the development of a comprehensive body of secondary legislation, including regulations, directives, and decisions.

Policies and achievements

A central achievement was the establishment of a customs union, eliminating internal tariffs and creating a Common Commercial Policy toward external trade. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), one of the first comprehensive common policies, became a major budgetary item and transformed agricultural sectors. The Single European Act of 1986 launched the project to complete the internal market by 1992, aiming to remove physical, technical, and fiscal barriers under the slogan "Four Freedoms". Other significant policy areas included competition law, enforced by the European Commission against entities like IBM and Michelin, and regional development through the European Regional Development Fund. The Schengen Agreement, initially outside the EC framework, began the abolition of internal border controls.

Member states and enlargement

The founding members, often called the Inner Six, were Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. The first enlargement in 1973 brought in Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, following the Treaty of Accession 1972 and overcoming French vetoes by Charles de Gaulle. Greece joined in 1981, followed by Spain and Portugal in 1986 after their transitions from dictatorships, significantly expanding the Community's geographical and economic scope. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries like Austria and Sweden developed close ties, setting the stage for future enlargement after the end of the Cold War.

Dissolution and legacy

The European Communities were formally dissolved and succeeded by the European Union upon the entry into force of the Maastricht Treaty on 1 November 1993. The treaty established a new three-pillar structure, with the European Communities forming the central first pillar. The institutions of the Communities, such as the European Commission and the European Court of Justice, continued as institutions of the newly named European Union. The acquis communautaire, the entire body of EC law and achievements, was inherited by the Union, providing the foundation for subsequent treaties like the Treaty of Amsterdam and the Treaty of Nice. The EC period is thus seen as the foundational phase that created the economic and legal integration necessary for the political union envisioned at Maastricht.

Category:European Communities Category:Defunct international organizations Category:History of the European Union