Abstract
On 8 April 1965 the member states of the three European Communities signed the “Merger Treaty” for the amalgamation of the three European “Executives” — the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the Commission of the European Economic Community (EEC) and the Commission of the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom) into a single Commission of the European Communities. At the same time the three Councils of the three Communities were merged into one. Hence, since 1 July 1976 when the Merger Treaty came into force, the unified Commission of the European Commission has taken the only executive authority. Western European economic integration, however, started much earlier in the fifties, on a sectoral level.
L’Europe ne sera jamais faite par les fonctionnaires; elle ne sera fait que par des hommes politiques qui prendront des décisions politiques.
Jean Rey
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Bibliography
A. Publications of the Communities
The Office for Official Publications of the European Communities in Luxemburg published in the nine official languages of the European Communities (Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Greek, Portuguese and Spanish) the Treaties establishing the European Communities. Treaties amending these treaties. Documents concerning the accession (1978, also in Irish), Amendments to the 1978 edition of the ‘Treaties establishing the European Communities’ (1982) and the Collection of the agreements concluded by the European Communities (Vol. 1 to 5, 1958–1975, and annual supplement, 1976-). For the official texts of EC legislation and communications see the Official Journal of the European Communities (daily, in English since 1 January 1973; before 1958 there was a Journal Officiel de la CECA, with an English edition from 31 July 1954 to 27 December 1956, the Official Gazette of ECSC).
General information on Community policy is supplied by the Commission in its annual General report on the activities of the Communities (since 1967, combined for ECSC, EEC and Euratom) and in the Bulletin of the European Communities (monthly, with supplements on certain issues); before 1968 there was quarterly Bulletin de la Communauté Européenne du Charbon et de l’Acier, Haute Autorité and a monthly Bulletin de la Communauté Européenne Economique (since 1968 also in English), Bulletin of the European Economic Community. Published in conjunction with the General Report are the Report on the agricultural situation in the Community, the Report on the development of the social situation in the Community and the Report on competition policy. See also the annual Review of the Council’s work.
Numerous reports and studies have been published on every aspect of integration. E.g., Creation of a European financial area, European economy, May 1988; Community public finance. The European budget after the 1988 reform, May 1989. For a detailed list see the annual Publications of the European Communities. Catalogue 19- and for up to date information on new publications the monthly list Publication of the European Communities (Also as annex to the Bulletin of the European Communities).
Statistical information by the Statistical Office of the European Communities is found in the annual Basic Statistics of the Community (for a general survey) and in the monthly Eurostatistics. Data for short-term economic analysis. In addition statistical series are published on agriculture, fisheries, industry, energy, social affairs, foreign trade, etc. See for up-to-date information on statistical publications the monthly Eurostat news. Since 1979 also European economy (3 issues per year) with its supplements Series A. Recent economic trends, Series B. Economic prospects. Business survey results (both 11 issues per year) and Series C. Economic prospects. Consumer survey results (3 issues per year).
Bibliography information on the European Communities is found in the Documentation Bulletin, which consist of four series. Series A gives weekly an analytical list of acts and documents of the European Community as well as articles from periodicals; Series B bibliographies on specified objects (irregular); Series C a cumulative list of the references of series A on single objects (irregular) and Series D periodicals containing information on the European Communities. For books see the Systematic catalogue of books (two-yearly) and the monthly List of additions which contains the acquisitions of the Commission Library.
In this connection: J. Jeffries, A guide on the official publications of the European Communities (2nd ed., London, Mansell, 1981). An extensive bibliography, also on other forms of European integration gives K. Kujath, Bibliography on European integration. With annotations (Bonn, Europa Union, 1977); for up-to-date information Europäische Integration. Auswahlbibliographie (8 numbers a year).
B. Other publications 1. ECSC-Euratom
W. Diebold, Jr., The Schuman plan. A study in economic cooperation 1950–1959 (New York, Praeger, 1959);
W. Diebold, Jr. 25 Years Common Coal Market (Brussels, EC Commission, 1977) for an official review.
For a commentary on the Euratom Treaty: J. Errera et al., Analyse et commentaire du Traité (Brussels, Libraire encyclopédique, 1958).
See further H. Krämer, Nuklearpolitik in Westeuropa und die Forschungspolitik der Euratom (Köln, Heymann, 1976) for the activities of Euratom and J.R. Lecerf and A. Turk, Le pari nucléaire des communautés est-il encore crédible? Essai de synthèse critique d’une “politique communautaire”, Revue du Marché Commun, March 1978, April 1978 and May 1978.
2. General publications
Introductions: D. Swann, The economics of the common market (6th ed., Harmondsworth, Penguin, 1988);
M. Calingaert, The 1992 challenge from Europe. Development of the European Community’s internal market (Washington D.C., National Planning Association, 1988);
T. Hitiris, European Community economics. A modern introduction (New York, Harvester/Wheatsheaf, 1988);
R. Tavitian, Le système économique de la Communauté Européenne (Paris, Dalloz, 1990);
N. Colchester and D. Buchan, Europe relaunched. Truths and illusions on the way to 1992 (London, Hutchinson Business Books, 1990);
W. Nicoli and T. Salmon, Understanding the European Communities (Phillip Allan, 1990).
On certain aspects: Y. Fouéré, L’Europe aux cent drapeaux. Essais pour servir à la construction de l’Europe, 2nd ed., Paris, Presses d’Europe, 1976;
J.F. Beseler and A.N. Williams, Anti-dumping and anti-subsidy law. The European Communities, London, Sweet and Maxwell, ICC, 1986;
A. Mattera, Le marché unique Européen (2nd ed., Paris, Jupiter, 1990);
I. Van Bael and J.-F. Bellis, Anti-dumping and other trade protection laws of the EEC (Bicester, Oxfordshire, Commerce Clearing House, 1990); The extract quoted is from Efficiency, stability and equity. A strategy for the evolution of the economic system of the European Community. Report of a study group appointed by the Commission of the European Communities and presided by T. Padoa-Schioppa, April 1987.
Other European organizations 1. The Council of Europe
The Council of Europe was set up on 5 May 1949, with headquarters in Strasbourg. Its aims are very general (“greater unity between its members for the purposes of safeguarding and realizing the ideals and principles which are their common heritage and facilitating their economic and social progress”). A Committee of Ministers may recommend matters to governments. The 340 members of the Consultative Assembly are elected by the Parliaments of member states. The Assembly may make recommendations to the Committee of Ministers. Initially there were ten member states; now they comprise the EC countries, most EFTA members (Austria, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland), Cyprus, Malta, and Turkey. Finland, although not a member, participates in the Council’s activities. Israel is an observer.
The Council has drawn up many conventions and agreements, including the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the Social Charter, the Cultural Convention.
2. The Western European Union
The Western European Union was set up 23 October 1954. It is an organization for collective self-defense, with seat in London. It consist now of the original EC countries, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom.
The Council consists of the foreign ministers of the member states. It meets at ambassador level under the chairmanship of the secretary-general (the permanent council). An Assembly is the only parliamentary body with power to discuss western European defense problems.
3. Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe
The first conference was held in Paris in November 1990. Its 34 members exercise sovereignty on European territory; they include Monaco, San Marino and the Holy See. Albania only has an observer status. The Baltic states are not members and Turkey is a member since a minor part of its territory is in Europe. The United States and Canada are also members. A secretariat based in Prague prepares and services the regular follow-up meetings. An assembly of Europe is also planned; it will be composed of delegates from national parliaments and will use the facilities of the Council of Europe Assembly.
During the same conference the so-called Paris agreements were concluded between the NATO and Warsaw Pact members. A treaty on conventional forces in Europe places ceilings on numbers of tanks, artillery, armoured combat vehicles, helicopters and aircraft to be held by each side between Atlantic and Urals. There are no limits of manpower, but Germany will limit its forces to 275 000.
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van Meerhaeghe, M.A.G. (1992). The European Communities. In: International Economic Institutions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3576-4_9
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