History of European Cooperation and Integration

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

2. Introduction New website for this class: http://mravinac.pbwiki.com/european_integration • 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 includedW. Churchill andCoudenhove-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 andintergovernmentalists Paved way for the Council of Europe

5. Council of Europe May 5, 1949 - 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 • GERsupported 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 andintergov. 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 overGER • USA pushing for GER remilitarization for defense purposes • FR against GER admission to NATO – weakly policed • Plevenplan– European armies joined under single supranational command, creation of European Defense Community • EDClinked with ECSC via politicalcooperation 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 „EuropeanCommunities“ • 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 (seeArt 2)

19. Institutional Structureof 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 http://eur-lex.europa.eu • http://mravinac.pbwiki.com/european_integration • Reader from Dinan’s Europe Recast