Europe after World War Two - the establishment of the EEC

The Establishment of the EEC

Today...

• European countries cooperate on a wide range of issues • Common travel in Europe• Common currency and a common market

After two World Wars...

• After 1945 Europe lay in ruins.... And was to become a major battleground between Communist East and Capitalist West

• Some European leader decided that European countries needed to replace conflict with co-operation

• Three key leaders at this time were Adenauer (Germany), De Gaulle (France) and Gasperi (Italy)

2011 Paper (Ordinary)

BENELUXFirst attempt at Economic Co-Operation between Countries

Showed that free trade between European countries could work

European Coal and Steel Community

• Coal and Steel were essential resources for industry• Hitler wanted to control Europe’s coal and steel – maybe a

future dictator would too?

• Solution – share the resources amongst all countries, no need to fight to control them then.

Signing of the Treaty of Paris, 1951

1955 – Messina Conference

• The ECSC was so successful that people began to think of creating a common trading area – goods and services could be traded across borders without customs checks

• Without this agreement buying items online would not be possible today

1957 – Treaty of Rome

• Established a common market in Europe• Set up a European Social fund to improve living standards in

Europe• Allowed free movement of workers in Europe• Developed a Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to promote a

fair standard of living for farmers

• This treaty created the European Economic Community (EEC) which later became the European Union (EU)

N2 Road in Monaghan – built with European Structural funds

European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium

Britain and the EEC

• Britain tried to join the EEC in 1963 and again in 1967 but was blocked by France

• Important for Ireland as Britain was our main trading partner – if they joined it was in our interests to do so too.

• Eventually Britain and Ireland joined in 1973, after De Gaulle had retired

Key events

• 1951 – European Coal and Steel Community founded• 1957 – Treaty of Rome establishes the EEC• 1991 – Maastricht treaty – EEC becomes EU• 1999 – Euro currency introduced

• The EU has continued to grow and now contains 28 members

EU today

2012 Paper (Higher)

People in History