European Parliament (pre-1979)
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| European Parliament (pre-1979) | |
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| Name | European Parliament (pre-1979) |
| Foundation | 1952 (Common Assembly), 1958 (Assembly of the European Communities) |
| Preceded by | Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community |
| Succeeded by | European Parliament |
| House type | Consultative assembly (1952–1979) |
| Body | European Coal and Steel Community, European Economic Community, European Atomic Energy Community |
| Leader title | Presidents (selection) |
| Leader name | Paul-Henri Spaak, Robert Schuman, Alcide De Gasperi |
| Members | Delegates from national parliaments of France, West Germany, Italy, Benelux, Luxembourg, United Kingdom (post-1973), Denmark (post-1973), Ireland (post-1973) |
| Meeting place | Strasbourg, Brussels, Luxembourg City |
European Parliament (pre-1979) The European Parliament (pre-1979) was the multinational consultative assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Economic Community, and the European Atomic Energy Community prior to the first direct elections in 1979. It evolved from the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community into the Assembly of the European Communities and functioned through appointed delegates from national legislatures, meeting in Strasbourg, Brussels, and Luxembourg City. The body interacted with institutions such as the European Commission, the Council of the European Communities, and national parliaments including the French National Assembly and the Bundestag.
Origins and Legal Basis
The assembly's legal origins trace to the Treaty of Paris (1951) which created the European Coal and Steel Community and established the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community sitting alongside the High Authority and the Special Council of Ministers (ECSC). Subsequent juridical evolution occurred under the Treaties of Rome (1957), which founded the European Economic Community and European Atomic Energy Community and reconstituted the Common Assembly as the Assembly of the European Communities under treaty provisions mirroring those in the ECSC. Founders such as Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer, and Paul-Henri Spaak influenced the Assembly's mandate, while legal scholars like Eugenio Bulygin and institutions including the European Court of Justice shaped interpretative frameworks.
Institutional Structure and Membership
Membership derived from national parliaments: delegates were appointed by assemblies such as the Assemblée nationale (France), the House of Commons (United Kingdom) after 1973, the Italian Parliament, and the Dutch States General. Prominent early figures included Alcide De Gasperi, Konrad Adenauer, and Guy Mollet who participated as national delegates or influenced selection. The Assembly elected a President from among delegates; holders included Paul-Henri Spaak and Alcide De Gasperi in formative years. Administrative support came from secretariats influenced by officials from the European Commission (pre-1967) and the Council of the European Communities; sessions split between Strasbourg, Brussels, and Luxembourg City pursuant to intergovernmental agreements influenced by leaders like Charles de Gaulle and Harold Wilson.
Powers and Functions
Formally consultative under the Treaties of Rome (1957), the Assembly possessed advisory powers to scrutinize budgetary estimates, question the European Commission, and deliver opinions on treaty-based measures. It exercised incremental influence through budgetary control disputes involving the Council of the European Communities and played a deliberative role on policy areas touching the Common Agricultural Policy, customs union arrangements, and trade relations with blocs such as the European Free Trade Association. The Assembly's capacity to censure the High Authority or the Commission was limited; nevertheless, cross-institutional interactions with the European Court of Justice and national cabinets such as the French Government and the Federal Government of Germany augmented its informal leverage.
Relationship with Member States and Institutions
Relations with member states were mediated by delegates' dual mandates in national parliaments such as the Bundestag, the Italian Chamber of Deputies, and the Chambre des députés (Luxembourg). Tensions emerged between supranationalists—advocates influenced by Jean Monnet and Altiero Spinelli—and intergovernmentalists aligned with leaders like Charles de Gaulle and Edward Heath. The Assembly's relationship with the European Commission and the Council of the European Communities combined cooperation on policy formulation with contestation over prerogatives; episodes like disputes over the Community budget and the exercise of article-based competencies reflected evolving center-periphery dynamics involving the European Court of Justice and national executives.
Political Groups and Representation
Although membership was national, transnational political groupings developed within the Assembly, drawing on parties such as the Christian Democratic Group allied with the Christian Democratic Union (Germany), the Socialist Group linked to the British Labour Party and the Italian Socialist Party, and the Liberal Group with connections to the Liberal Party (United Kingdom) and the Radical Party (France). Figures like Gustav Heinemann and Jacques Chaban-Delmas shaped caucus alignments, while policy caucuses addressed issues spanning the Common Agricultural Policy, regional policy, and external relations with entities such as the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Women delegates and minority representatives from parties including the Sinn Féin-adjacent currents were limited in number compared with national parliaments.
Key Debates and Controversies
Contentious issues included the Assembly's push for enhanced legislative powers against the Council of the European Communities, budgetary authority disputes culminating in the budgetary crises of the 1960s, controversies over seat allocation involving Strasbourg versus Brussels, and the role of national vetoes advocated by leaders including Charles de Gaulle. Debates also focused on the pace of integration promoted by federalists such as Altiero Spinelli versus gradualists, plus scrutiny of relations with former colonies during decolonization events like the Algerian War and British decolonization processes. Public controversies engaged media outlets such as Le Monde and The Times and triggered parliamentary inquiries in national legislatures.
Transition to Direct Elections (1979)
Momentum for direct elections built through initiatives by federalists, national parliaments, and reports from Assembly committees influenced by Spinelli and Paul-Henri Spaak, culminating in the Act concerning the election of the representatives of the Assembly by direct universal suffrage within the European Communities. Negotiations involved the Council of the European Communities, national governments including the United Kingdom Government (1974–1979), and the European Commission; the decision followed years of advocacy, treaty interpretations by the European Court of Justice, and political accords. The 1979 elections transformed delegate selection from national appointment to direct representation, reshaping relations among institutions including the European Parliament and national assemblies.