The document discusses the developments and initiatives in European integration that have taken place since the Hague Congress. The text covers topics such as the evolution of European institutions, cooperation among member states, key treaties or agreements, economic and political integration, and...
TH4-Chapter 6: Building political Europe since the Hague Congress (1948)
Introduction:
• governance → “the use of institutions, structures of authority and even collaboration to allocate resources and coordinate or
control activity in society or the economy” => agents of the European project (EP); obstacles & steps in the implement° of eco° &
political union; its efficiency in creating common policies; feeling of community
• the various entities under which the EP has taken form (ECSC, EEC, EU) → transnational governance (to consolidate peace &
solidarity throughout a continent devastated by 2 WW + an ideological split [CW])
I. The roots of European unity and the first achievements
1) European projects until 1948
• before WW2: aim of several monarchs/emperors → build a united Europe (Charles the Great [9 th c], Napoleon [19th c])
Europe → starting place for 2 WW: logical after WW2 to look for a definitive peace settlement on the continent, which could be
done by creating common institutions & policies
• 1945, EU: devastated & weakened, split into the US & Soviet spheres of influence (early CW) => world ranking questioned (15M
civilian casualties, food & energy shortages, ruined infrastructures…)
→ W. Churchill promoted the creation of the “United States of Europe” (“(…) re-create the European family, or as much of it as we
can, and to provide it with a structure under which it can dwell in peace, in safety and freedom. We must build a kind of United
States of Europe.”
→ 1948: Hague Congress gathering all proponents of “paneuropeanism” & associations supporting the EP => 1949: creation of
the “Council of Europe” (COF) => general idea: create a new “European culture” to emphasize what Europeans have in common +
eliminate its ≠: importance of arts & education; respect for fundamental human rights; attachment to democracy & law
2) The impact of the Hague Congress: the ECSC
• COF → achievement & disappointment => 1st step to EU community, but less ambitious than Eu promoters expected: among
them, J. Monnet, R. Schuman, Alcido de Gasperi & A. Spinelli, Paul-Henri Spaak & K. Adenauer (“Founding Fathers of Europe”) →
most: proponents of federal EU, pursuing eco° & political union
• 2 main political trends strong believers in EU building: social-democrats & Christian-democrats → all agreed about defending
the basics of EU values (individual liberties, democracy, controlled free market) + EP also being build in the context of the CW →
gave the European Union its liberal foundations
=> West EU communists opposed the EP: 1st EU common institutions → OEEC (Org° for European Eco° Cooperation), set up to
share subsidies of the Marshall aid
+ firm believers in “Europe of Nations” → criticized the loss of sovereignty that stronger political association might trigger (DG
supporters, Conservatives in the UK)
• issue to be solved → should the EU building be full and instore a federal union or should it consist of progressive policies? 1951:
creation of the ECSC [European Coal & Steel Community] (FR, Germ, Italiy, Benelux) → aimed at liberalizing trade of coal & steel
between members states + set common supranational institutions => none of the members could make weapons of war on its
own to turn against each other
• USA & UK → no permanent eco° union w/ US as the latter would be too dominant + if an integrated political union was
proposed, other countries feared it would be British-dominated
3) After the ECSC, several failed attempts to deepen European unity led to decreasing ambitions:
the EEC
• ECSC → success eco° & politically (trade of steel x3 in 6 yrs) => FR (Schuman & Monnet) proposed the EDC (European Defence
Community) to create a Western European army: but fear of Germ rearmament triggered strong opposition in FR => National
Assembly rejected it: since then, EU still depends on NATO to ensure its safety
• to re-launch EU integration → Messina Conference (1955) => FR, isolated from the international stage after Suez crisis (1956),
needed its EU partners => Treaty of Rome (March 25th 1957), implemented Jan 1st 1958 => abolition of tariffs, intention to create
a free mvmt of all goods/services/capital
EEC → common market w/ common customs; free mvmts for capitals, merchandise & workers on long-term + supranational
institutions: Council of the European Union gathers all secretaries committed into 1 policy → the European Commission & the
Parliament + Court of Justice
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