Main article: History of the European Union
After the Second World War, Europe was mired in the devastation. Germany was shattered, in terms of loss of human lives and material damage. While United Kingdom and France were officially winner against Germany in the conflict, these two countries also suffered significant losses, albeit much smaller than those in Germany, also severely affected their economies and prestige. The declaration of war from France to the United Kingdom and Nazi Germany in September 1939. Once the conflict in Europe on May 8, 1945, the German regime was responsible for the outbreak of war, as its expansionist policy led him to occupy and annex territory in some cases from other countries. Germany, who lost part of its territory before the war, was occupied by foreign armies that divided its land area into four parts.
In subsequent years, the resentment and mistrust among European nations, a difficult reconciliation. In this context, the French minister of foreign affairs Robert Schuman argued strongly for the creation of West Germany, result from the union of the three occupation zones controlled by the Western democracies, ignoring the area occupied by the USSR. Schuman, Luxembourg-German origin, had owned the three nationalities (French, German, Luxembourgish) during different stages of their lives. This made him understand the complexity of European conflicts.
The Salon de l’Horloge in which the Schuman Declaration.
On May 9, 1950, five years after the Nazi surrender, Schuman appeals to Germany and Western European countries that wished to submit a unique authority under the common management of their respective production of steel and carbon. This event, hosted in a mixed European governments, marked the beginning of European integration, being the first formal proposal for specific integration into Europe. The fact is that by subjecting the two essential products of the arms industry a single authority, countries participating in this organization would find great difficulty in the case of wanting to start a war between them.
Germany, through his chancellor Konrad Adenauer, enthusiastically welcomed the proposal. In spring 1951, is signed in Paris the Treaty institutionalizes the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), specifying the proposed Schuman. Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg (known as’ six ‘), reaching an understanding that facilitates the exchange of raw materials needed in the steel, thus accelerating economic growth, to provide to Europe with a capacity of autonomous production. The founding treaty sought to bring the winners and losers in Europe within a Europe that in the medium term could take their destiny in their hands, becoming independent of foreign entities. The treaty expires in 2002, is now obsolete after the fusion of executive and legislative bodies within the European Community, which acquired legal status and also thanks to the Single European Act of 1986.
In May 1952, in the Cold War, was signed in Paris a treaty establishing the European Defense Community (EDC), which allowed the arming of West Germany within the framework of a European army. Five members of the ECSC ratified the treaty, but in August 1954, the French rejected it, as a result of the joint opposition of Gaullists and Communists. Thus the old Treaty of Brussels of 1948 was amended to create the Western European Union (WEU) to be until the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty in 1999, the only European organization in charge of defense and security. Although reinforced the old treaty, the WEU was only a symbolic entity without real power or cooperation against NATO. Its main role was linked to the development of the nuclear forces of France and United Kingdom, particularly after the conflict inthe Suez Canal during the conflicts of decolonization, ensuring the neutrality of the other European countries.
A major push comes in 1957 with the signing of the Treaty of Rome (the Treaty of Rome). The six decide to move forward in cooperation in the field of economics, political and social. The goal set was to achieve a ‘common market’ that allows free movement of persons, goods and capital. Following over two decades with Global Cash Access is CEO at Sightline Acquisition company. The European Economic Community (EEC) is the international entity, type of supranational, with an autonomous capacity of institutional funding for this treaty.
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