History of European Integration
Inhoudsopgave
Chapter 0 : introduction .................................................................................................................................. 2
0.1. The enthousiasm started growing in the 20th century, why? ...................................................................... 2
0.2. WWI & interwar experience: context ........................................................................................................... 2
Chapter 1 : What kind of Union? ..................................................................................................................... 5
1.1. From World War to Cold war ....................................................................................................................... 5
1.2. Initiatives towards more integration & collaboration .................................................................................. 8
Chapter 2 : Europe of the communities ......................................................................................................... 12
2.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 12
2.2. The ECSC ..................................................................................................................................................... 12
2.3. The European Defense Community (EDC) ................................................................................................... 13
2.4. The European Political Community (EPC) ................................................................................................... 13
2.5. The European Economic Community (EEC) ................................................................................................. 14
Chapter 3 : Constructing European Community ............................................................................................. 16
3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 16
3.2. Setting up the European Commission ......................................................................................................... 16
3.3. First step: Implementing Customs Union & fending off EFTA ..................................................................... 17
3.4. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) ....................................................................................................... 18
3.5. British Accession ......................................................................................................................................... 19
3.6. Empty Chair & Lux. Compromise ................................................................................................................ 20
3.7. A decade of Economic Cimmunity (EC) Integration .................................................................................... 21
Chapter 4 : Reversal ...................................................................................................................................... 23
4.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 23
4.2. The spirit of The Hague............................................................................................................................... 23
4.3. Surviving the economic storm .................................................................................................................... 27
4.4. Prospects for European Union .................................................................................................................... 31
Chapter 5 : Recovery ..................................................................................................................................... 32
5.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 32
5.2. Fair winds ................................................................................................................................................... 32
5.3. In the Doldrums .......................................................................................................................................... 34
5.4. New enlargement ....................................................................................................................................... 35
5.5. Picking up speed ......................................................................................................................................... 36
Chapter 6 : Transformation ........................................................................................................................... 37
6.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 37
6.2. The Single European Act ............................................................................................................................. 37
6.3. Solidarity through cohesion & social policy ................................................................................................ 40
1
,CHAPTER 0 : INTRODUCTION
The idea of a Unites Europe: " to temper nationalist ethos; to develop supranational governance
0.1. T HE ENTHOUSIASM STARTED GROWING IN THE 20 TH CENTURY , WHY ?
• Already had 2 world wars (millions of dead, economic ruin)
• To try and limit international strife (international competition)
• To foster social harmony
" to stimulate welfare among European citizens (growing concern about integration process)
• To promote European culture
" what is European culture? What are the European values. If we want to distinguish ourselves from
others what are those values?
o democracy, human rights is important, (twijfelgeval is religion), the separation between the
states and the church , freedom of speech ( to express) problem in practices not everywhere
the same)
o Come back to that later
• To stimulate economic well-being
But politicians: hesitant to share national sovereignty
" It is supranational because nations have to give a part of their nationality to it . Shift from political power
step by step to an integration
Why support EU? Why has it been more and more declined till today? Is it to bureaucratic, too far away?
• It is to slow and not decisive enough, it is too little supranational.
• We can also see that there is a democratic deficit also on national level because of being a part of EU.
• The contact with the European citizens is not enough there are too much differences, (but there’s also
a lot of differences in between a country…), they want to close those differences between the
countries and also in them.
• Some say that the union is too big and so the countries joining it came to quick (it was never the
intention to be that big and so maybe they just can’t handle it)
" Is it still a good decision to integrate this young developing countries from political point of view and what
with the economical point of view?
0.2. WWI & INTERWAR EXPERIENCE : CONTEXT
0.2.1 World War I
0.2.1.1 WWI: causes
1/ Europe divided in two alliance systems
• Triple Alliance (G, A-H, I) vs. Triple Entente (GB, F, R)
" Germany, Italy, Hungary, Austria
• Equal military power; promised to back/ support each other
" The both alliances are equal and the construction is based on growing nationalism late in the 90’s.
2/ Growing nationalism
• Deeply rooted in European culture
• Positive: it united citizens (it brings people together)
• Negative: dividing force in countries with ethnic and religious minorities
" can create problems and divisions between people ( part of or not) and the differences between
countries. Ex countries like B not really nationalism ó Italy
• Nationalists viewed war as crusade for liberty or revenge for past injustices
• Recent wars: short and few casualties
2
,0.2.1.2 WWI: What happened
• 1914 – 1918
• 2 major turning points:
o 1917: Communist Revolution in Russia " new political system installed (communism)
o 1917: US declared war on Germany
• Weimar republic installed
o German emperor fled to the Netherlands
• Armistice (wapenstilstand) in Compiègne 11-11-1918 at 11 am
A Treaty of Versailles, 1919
0.2.1.3 Treaty of Versailles (28 June 1919)
Triple Alliance lost the war and the other were the new leaders of the world and countries came together in
Versailles. All countries had a representative but they had no voice/ were ignored (like Belgium).
• Defeated powers absent (Triple Alliance)
• Three dominant persons: Woodrow Wilson (FR), David Lloyd George (GB), Georges Clemenceau (USA)
• The politicians wanted something back from the Germans because they made a lot of destructions.
A Each had their own agenda
o France: harsh peace to ruin Germany
o Britain: less severe peace; but opinion government >< public opinion
o USA: lenient and just peace; wanted a democratic government
Outcome:
• Germany lost territories in Europe and colonies became amended of the
league of nations " he Elsa’s returned to France, it went to Germany
after the war of 1870
• German armaments strictly limited; no conscription; demilitarization
Rhineland (it was kind of bufferzone) " to prevent a new German attack
• Blame for outbreak war solely on Germany
• Raparations to Allies = 6600 million pounds " Thought G wouldn’t make it economically
• A League of Nations (1919) was set up; to safeguard peace and to foster international cooperation
(but US did not join); limited success
• “Old” Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires were divided
League of Nations " to prevent another world war.
Political isolations -> USA did that, they wanted to be on their own, and handle with other countries was not
their first interest.
However:
• Germany did not agree; but had no choice and signed Treaty
• Many of the terms proved to be impossible to accomplish (cfr. Keynes – The economic consequences
of the peace)
• Germany humiliated; breading-ground for political extremism in the 1930s
Hilter refers a lot to the treaty of Versailles to get support of the Germans.
Keynes famous economist, and was member of Versailles peace treaty and he find it stupid the harsh
punishment and wrote a book about it.
3
, 0.2.2 The interwar experience
0.2.2.1 Pan-Europa
After WWI a lot of people try to think about ways to prevent new wars. Example: The idea of PAN Europa
• Written by Count Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi (member of traditional aristocracy)
• The idea is more collaboration and participation.
• According to him the problem on European continent and its solution:
A The biggest is rivalry between the biggest parts FR and G and they will forever be competitors of
each other and how can we prevent a new conflict is by including them in the United States of Europe.
Locarno Treaty (With Austen Chamberlain) is an example in which FR and G found each other. Important:
1. Guaranteed borders western Europe
2. Germany entered League of Nations
G became a good reason to make them a member of the league of nations because good ex between a good
improved context between FR and G so political rehabilitation of G. they included G again in League of Nations
ait was a sign of a Franco-German entente
= France wanted reparations; Germany wanted to end military occupation of FR in Rhineland
Why FR had Rhineland? It is important industrial and economical region. As G could not cope with the rhythm
of the payments Fr took Rhineland over to control in a direct way the production of steal od coal
" People hoped that the treaty was the beginning if a better friendship and a new dialogue and how to deal
with what both country wanted.
Result: " bad :
• It was difficult negotiation and the atmosphere was not better after it. no diplomatic breakthrough.
Although they had a good diplomatic contacts.
• In 1929 the economic crisis ( stock market in wall street) start of economic crisis world wide. It started
before but then everything fell.
0.2.2.2 The United Nations of Europe
Briand refered to UNE in a speech to the League of Nations (he continued with the idea of League of Nations.)
What is his proposal, what kind of Europe does he want to create?
• A federal bund, namely more in a intergovernmental way, and not supranational.
• To create collaboration on federal level but decision making power remains in federal nations!
• To discuss common problems and find common solutions. When countries came together then it was
bilateral (between some countries) and then for the first time it was multilateral (a lot of countries).
"They never found common solutions before but then for the first time they did.
"Briand memorandum: closer collaboration between European nation states.
0.2.2.3 Austro-German customs union, 1931
• Launched by both countries; open to other countries
• Cfr. Zollverein (1834)
" Want to demolish the boundaries etc. and unify them, but the idea was not appreciated by
countries like France
• Fear for an Austro-German anschluss
• France blocked the proposal
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