FOREIGN OFFICE FILES FOR POST-WAR EUROPE

Series Two: The Treaty of Rome and European Integration, 1957-1960

Part 1: Files for 1957

Publisher's Note

"The Community shall have as its task, by establishing a common market and an economic and monetary union.to promote throughout the Community a harmonious and balanced development of economic activities, sustainable and non-inflationary growth respecting the environment, a high degree of convergence of economic performance, a high level of employment and of social protection, the raising of the standard of living and quality of life, and economic and social cohesion and solidarity among Member States."
Article 2, Part 1 of the 'Treaty Establishing the European Community..'

On the 25 March 1957 the six member countries of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) - France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, West Germany and Italy - all signed an agreement which was to lay the foundations of the European Union as we know it today.

The Treaty of Rome created the European Economic Community (colloquially called the 'Common Market') and a related agreement created the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). Britain was not very enthusiastic about political and economic union, preferring free trade between independent nation states. Despite her reservations, Britain took careful steps to keep all European developments under close scrutiny. These files are proof of that.

Part 1 is dominated by 43 files on the subject of European Economic Integration and on the formation of a Common Market and Free Trade Area. A further 22 files discuss the Messina proposals on European Integration. There are also files on the birth of Euratom, the role of the European Coal and Steel Community, the European Movement, the Council of Europe and the Round Table Conference of European 'Wise Men'. To this we have added the Board of Trade's report on the likely impact of the European Community, Cabinet discussions on the Treaty of Rome and key Treasury files on UK/EEC relations, the creation of EFTA and the impact of the EEC on Commonwealth trade.

A whole range of issues can be examined through the use of these documents:

• To what extent was the EEC modelled on the trans-continental economy of the USA?
• Did the growth of the EEC affect the Cold War and the balance of power in Europe?
• Why was agriculture such a divisive issue in the EEC and EFTA?
• Were the six signatories of the Treaty of Rome equally committed to federalist principles?
• What were the economic advantages for the signatory powers?
  

The creation of a united Europe is without doubt one of the most important historical processes of the twentieth century. These documents will allow scholars and students to understand how the European Economic Community grew from the seeds of the prototype European Coal and Steel Community, to emerge as a major economic force.

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