Integration Is A Dynamic Process

Despite a blistering cold war between east and west Europe in the 1950’s, including the violent suppression of anti-communist protests in 1956 Hungary, the six founders of the ECSC reconvened in 1957 and signed the Treaty of Rome, which created the European Economic Community, or the “Common Market”.

The European Union (EU) is a unique economic and political partnership between 28 different countries. It consists of about half a billion citizens, and its combined economy represents about 20 percent of the world’s total economy (Briney, 2015). Today The European Union works as a single market, with free movement of people, goods and services from one country to another. There is a standard system of laws to be followed, and since 1999 many countries share a single currency called the Euro (Europa.eu, 2015). This essay will explore the background history of the European Union and the benefits and drawbacks of the European Union.

After the bloodshed and devastation of the ww2 the unity of Europe was needed more than ever people were broken and needed hope of a better world without hatred and war. Through the actions of a few brave statesmen, who include Winston Churchill, Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer and Alcide de Gasperi they came to set a goal, and that was for the unification of Europe. The aims were to achieve political goals through economic cooperation and to have the industries that were destroyed and countries bankrupted from ww2, thriving once again. In 1950 Robert Schuman, with an idea originally conceived by Jean Monnet proposed that a European Coal and Steel community to be established under a common high authority. After the Second World War tensions were high between The Soviet Union and the US, the capitalists led by the US the communists by the Soviet Union, a

As sentiments like Winston Churchill’s 1946 call for United States of Europe became louder, the Council of Europe was established in 1949 as the first pan-European organization. French Foreign Minister, Robert Schuman, on May 9, 1950, proposed the Schuman Declaration, which created a community to integrate the coal and steel industries of Europe in an effort to promote international cooperation and understanding. He chose the coal and steel industries due to their necessity in the production of weaponry. France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and West Germany signed the Treaty of Paris, creating the European Coal and Steel Community, giving birth to cooperative agencies like the Common Assembly. The

1955 saw the start of the Western European Union and talks began at Messina about a European Economic Community, the EEC. Britain maintained a strong opinion when referring to Europe and the EEC. This being scepticism, Britain didn’t take these plans very seriously. Such feelings were clearly displayed, when Britain didn’t even send an Ambassador to the Messina Conference. Instead, in keeping with their, thus far sceptical approach, only an observer was sent on the British behalf, rather than Foreign Sectary of State Harold MacMillan. Britain’s feelings hadn’t changed by 1957 when the Treaty of Rome, which created the EEC, which was signed by the six. Italy, France, Western Germany and the Benelux countries, but not by Britain.

Europe was a politically and fragile continent after the Second World War that claimed millions of lives. It is in that background, that the first steps to European integration were taken with the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). The celebrated Schuman Plan, laid the foundation for the first real supra-national economy in the world, that is, the ECSC. The European integration continued through the decades with the establishment of the European Economic Community (ECC) and the European Union (EU). In the recent period, the EU has come under intense questioning with the economic crisis in Europe starting 2007. The recent Brexit vote has put further questions on the future of the EU. This essay considers the process of European integration through the decades and also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the union.

The European Union is set up with the aim of ending the wars between neighbors, which culminated in the Second World War. In particular France and Germany who had be at war with other 3 times in less than 3 decades. As of 1950, the European Coal and Steel Community begin to unite European countries economically and politically in order to secure lasting peace. The six founding countries are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The 1950s are dominated by a cold war between east and west. Protests in Hungary against the Communist regime are put down by Soviet tanks in 1956. In 1957, the Treaty of Rome creates the European Economic Community (EEC), or ‘Common Market’.

Besides creating a third block between the United States and the Soviet Union, European cooperation brought a possible solution to the German question. Central to European integration, according to the founding fathers, was creating a political identity over an economic one. But, it took until the 1970’s to establish a formal political forum that connected European nations together, almost twenty years after the creation of the ECSC. Monnet argues that efforts for political cooperation failed before the 1970’s, naming the European Defense Community (EDC) as an example. The EDC was a response to deal with the possible German rearmament in the

Schuman plan was a proposal by French foreign minister Robert Schuman on May 9, 1950. It was for the single authority to be able to control the production of steel and coal in France and West Germany. The plain laid foundations for the 1958 establishment of the European Economic Community after the proposal were realized in the European Coal and Steel Community. The Schuman Declaration of May 1950 was a legal proposal to create a new form of organization of states in Europe called supranational community. After the Second World War, a conflict that had nearly destroyed the continent and

After The Second World War, Europe was on the brink as it was in a state of total ruin, both economically and politically. Europe was involved in two World Wars in only fifty years, there was a massive need to achieve lasting peace as well as economic stability, this however would be difficult to achieve. The first major step was taken in 1951, when the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was established. It was the chain of events leading from the ECSC that would be the first steps in molding today’s European Union. Throughout this period the “European” project was erratic and underwent quick development at certain times, and at others came to a grinding halt. The culminations of the larger moves seen in the sculpting of Europe were the main factors in the formation of the Europe that is seen today. Arguably the most important milestone is the, Treaty of Maastricht (1992).

On August 11, 1952, the United States became the first non-member country to provide international recognition to the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the precursor to today’s European Union.

With the internal changes underway, 1993 saw the EU ready to start accession negotiations with the Central and Eastern European Countries (referred from now on as CEEC). The Copenhagen European Council summit in June 1993 stated that ‘the associated countries in central and eastern Europe that so desire shall become members of the European Union.’ (Conclusion of the European Council, 1993). This was a welcomed affirmation for the candidates, but the ‘’long and complicated road to membership’’ (Van Den Broek, 1998; Gower, 1999.; Phinnemore, 1999.) was far from over.

Karen A. Mingst in her book "Essentials of International Relations" gives a definition "European Union (EU) is a union of twenty-five European States, formerly the European Economic Community; designed originally during the 1950s for economic integration, but since expanded into a closer political and economic union."1 In 1951, the European Union initially called the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) formed as a pact between six countries (Belgium, West Germany, Luxembourg, France, Italy and the Netherlands), in order to obtain economic and political corporation. Originally concerned with coal and steel, the states hoped to ensure a serene outlook for Europe.2 The European Union has expanded to include a wide range of

After the two World Wars the European countries started to unite themselves, the main aim being to end the frequent wars and secure peace between the nations. In 1950 the European Coal and Steam community started to unify politically and economically the European countries for the purpose of bringing lasting peace.

One of the most remarkable successes of the European Union is ensuring peace and stability is maintained in Europe and other parts of the world. Prior to the formation of the union, European nations experience disharmony related to both World War I and II. The first step towards peace building was the formation of European Coal and Steel Community. Since then, the union has formulated several peace policies with the aim of ensuring peace thrive amongst members and their associates.