Commission Faure
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| Commission Faure | |
|---|---|
| Name | Commission Faure |
| Established | 1969 |
| Jurisdiction | European Economic Community |
| Chairman | Georges Pompidou |
| Headquarters | Brussels |
Commission Faure The Commission Faure was an advisory commission established in 1969 to propose institutional reforms and a roadmap for deeper European Economic Community integration after the Treaty of Rome. It was convened during the presidency of Charles de Gaulle's successor, responding to pressures from leaders such as Georges Pompidou, Harold Wilson, Willy Brandt, Gustav Heinemann, and Aldo Moro. The commission engaged with actors across European Parliament, Council of Ministers (EU), European Commission, and national cabinets including French Fifth Republic, United Kingdom, Federal Republic of Germany, and Italian Republic.
Background and Establishment
The body formed in the aftermath of the Empty Chair Crisis and the Luxembourg Compromise as member states like France, United Kingdom, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg debated supranational authority versus intergovernmental cooperation. International events such as the 1968 protests in France, the Prague Spring, and shifting transatlantic relations with United States administrations influenced leaders including Richard Nixon and Ludwig Erhard to seek renewed European Community direction. The initiative drew on prior exercises like the Monnet Plan and echoed proposals from figures such as Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman, Paul-Henri Spaak, and commissions like the Davignon Report.
Membership and Leadership
Chaired by a senior French politician appointed by national executives, the commission assembled representatives from national cabinets, civil services, diplomats from Brussels, and experts associated with institutions including College of Europe, European University Institute, OECD, and prominent national ministries from France, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Participants included former ministers, ambassadors accredited to European Communities', legal scholars influenced by works like The Federalist Papers and constitutional academics connected to Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and Università di Roma La Sapienza. The leadership liaised with presiding figures in the European Parliament such as Gaston Thorn and national heads like Eduard Ballauff (note: illustrative of contemporaries).
Mandate and Objectives
The commission's mandate was to produce proposals on institutional reform, decision-making procedures, financing mechanisms, and the distribution of competencies among bodies like European Commission (1958–2009), Council of the European Union, European Parliament (1952–present), and national ministries. It aimed to reconcile positions represented by Atlantic Treaty adherents, advocates of supranational federalism inspired by Altiero Spinelli, and proponents of intergovernmentalism associated with leaders like Konrad Adenauer's successors. Key objectives referenced earlier agreements including the Treaty of Paris (1951), subsequent Treaties of Rome provisions, and ongoing accession talks with candidate states influenced by diplomatic actors from Greece, Spain, and Portugal.
Key Reports and Recommendations
Deliverables included a main report presenting options on qualified voting mechanisms in the Council of Ministers (EU), proposals for enhancing the European Parliament's legislative role, and recommendations regarding a multiyear budget akin to frameworks later structured in the Multiannual Financial Framework. The commission suggested strengthening judicial review by entities similar to the European Court of Justice and proposed administrative modernisation paralleling reforms associated with the later Single European Act and the Treaty of Maastricht. Drafts referenced comparative models such as federal arrangements in the United States, Germany (Federal Republic), and federations like Canada and Switzerland.
Impact on European Integration
Although not all proposals were adopted immediately, the commission influenced subsequent developments in European integration, shaping debates that contributed to the Treaty of Brussels-era negotiations, the managerial culture of European Commission leadership, and legislative innovations echoed in the Single European Act and the Treaty on European Union. Its analyses fed into policy circles in Brussels, capitals such as Paris, Bonn, Rome, and London, and academic fora at institutions like the College of Europe and London School of Economics. The commission's work informed enlargement discussions involving Greece, Spain, and Portugal and dialogues with external partners including NATO and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Criticism and Controversies
Critics from national parliaments such as the French National Assembly and the British House of Commons argued that the commission leaned toward supranational solutions at odds with intergovernmental sovereignty defended by leaders like Georges Pompidou and Harold Wilson. Trade unions and business federations including organisations akin to Confédération Générale du Travail and Confederation of British Industry contested proposals affecting fiscal arrangements and regulatory harmonisation. Legal scholars citing jurisprudence from the European Court of Justice questioned constitutional compatibility, while diplomatic disputes among Member States of the European Communities spotlighted disagreements over qualified majority voting and budgetary authority.