The European Commission, 1958-72: History and MemoriesThe ink on the Rome Treaties of 25 March 1957 was hardly dry when the Commission set itself up for business on 1 January 1958 in Brussels with an agenda covering all areas of the economic life of the six founder countries: France, Germany, Italy and the three Benelux countries of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The 15-year period - from 1958 to 1972 - covered by this work corresponds to the beginnings of the European Commission, whose first task was to come up with practical means of achieving the Treaties' main objective - the establishment of a common market - taking as its point of departure the general interest of the entire Community of six Member States. Forged by men and women with often very different backgrounds, the history of the first few years is one of crises but also of achievements which shaped the major milestones of European integration in almost every area. Imagination, long-term vision, enthusiasm and tenacity seem to have been the great virtues of the people working for the young European institution at that time. By piecing together over a number of years the recollections of former Commission officials, a consortium of university teachers under the direction of Professor Michel Dumoulin of the Catholic University of Louvain at Louvain-la-Neuve has at last made it possible to tell the story of what happened during those early days. |
Contents
Memories for tomorrow | 11 |
Part One The Commission and its people | 35 |
The Hallstein Commission 195867 | 67 |
Copyright | |
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administration adopted Affairs agreement agricultural Albert Coppé April Article Belgian Brussels chef de cabinet Commis Commission's Committee common market Community's conference cooperation coordination Coreper Council countries December decision delegation Director-General Directorate Directorate-General draft economic policy EEC Commission EEC Treaty Émile Noël establishment Euratom Euro Europe European Commission European Communities European integration European Parliament européenne executives February France Franco Maria Malfatti French Gaulle German Groeben HAEU High Authority Ibid industrial initiative institutions Interview issues Italian January Jean Monnet Jean Rey Jean-François Deniau July June Luxembourg Malfatti March meeting Member ment merger Michel Dumoulin Minister mission monetary munity negotiations November October officials organisation Paris pean political President problems programme proposals Rabier Raymond Barre relations Rencki responsible Robert Marjolin role sector Service Sicco Mansholt sion social Spaak staff summit tariff tion trade Treaty of Rome Walter Hallstein Wellenstein