Lecture 3: The early development of
the European Union - 1952-1985.
Prof. Andreas Bieler
Structure of the lecture:

I. Post-war international developments;

II. Post-war domestic developments;

III. First steps of European integration;

IV. 1966 to 1985: The “dark ages” of integration?
I. Post-war international developments:
1.
1947 Marshall plan for the reconstruction of
European economies;
2.
1948 Council of Europe;
3.
1949 Establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organisation;
II. Post-war domestic developments:
1.
France;
2.
Germany;
3.
Britain;
III. First steps of European integration:
1.
1952 European Coal and Steel Community;
2.
1954 European Defence Community;
3.
1957/58 European Economic Community and
European Atomic Energy Community;
4. Neo-functionalist explanation of
European integration:

start of European integration in 1952 was the result
of the common recognition that co-operation in the
reconstruction of national industries would yield
higher welfare gains;

move to EEC and Euratom in 1957/58 as a case of
functional spill-over;

completion of Customs Union in 1968 ahead of
schedule as an instance of political spill-over;
5. The empty chair crisis in 1965/66:

De Gaulle’s vision for the EU: a union of
independent states;

Commission package deal in 1965 including own
resources for the EU;

Luxembourg compromise: establishment of the right
to a national veto;
6. Intergovernmentalist explanation:

start of European integration in 1952 was due to a convergence
of state’s interest on economic co-operation, an area of ‘low
politics’;

this was possible, since the bipolar structure of the Cold War
made military competition between Western European
countries impossible;

1954 EDC failed, since states are not prepared to integrate in
an area of ‘high politics’;

halt of integration in 1965/66 due to missing convergence of
national interests;
IV. 1966 to 1985: The ‘dark ages’ of
integration?
1.
the question of British EU membership;
2.
several rounds of enlargement after Pompidou became the
new French President;
3.
October 1970 – establishment of European Political Cooperation;
4.
1974 – institutionalisation of regular European Council
meetings;
1966 to 1985: The ‘dark ages’ of integration?
5. 1979 – first direct elections to the European Parliament;
6. 1979 – launch of the European Monetary System;
7. Intergovernmentalist explanation: intensification of co-operation,
but no further step of integration, i.e. the pooling or transfer of
sovereignty;