Efforts at European Unity
By “Awake!” correspondent in Luxembourg
FOLLOWING World War II the countries of western Europe faced a tremendous job of economic reconstruction. Their industries were in ruins and their people were poor. The establishment of freer international trade and closer cooperation was a logical response to the situation. During the 1950’s an added incentive for these countries to unite was the fear of many Europeans that the threat of Soviet aggression was growing.
What steps were taken to achieve this unity of western European countries? Have the organizations established for this purpose proved successful? What prospects are there now for greater unity in the future?
Early Efforts
After long preparation, the Council of Europe was established in May of 1949. The goal of this organization is to promote closer unity among its some eighteen member nations so that economic and social progress might be achieved. The Council, however, has no real power. It can only pursue its goal by making recommendations to member governments.
But in 1951, with the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community, the first real progress toward European cooperation was realized. The six member nations include Belgium, Italy, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany. Headquarters for the organization are here in Luxembourg.
The European Coal and Steel Community was founded to create in western Europe a common market for coal and steel, as well as their subsidiary products. It was intended that barriers to trade in coal and steel among member nations, such as tariffs, quotas and other import restrictions, be abolished.
In officially announcing this project on May 9, 1950, Robert Schuman of France spoke of the eventual aim to create a United States of Europe. He acknowledged, however, that this would require progressive steps toward greater unification.
The basic idea of the organization is to provide economic integration, thus improving production and distribution of products. The success realized by this organization toward achieving these ends led to the establishing of two other parallel six-nation communities.
Further Unification Efforts
One of these is the European Economic Community, commonly called the European Common Market, or simply Common Market. Its member nations are the same six that make up the European Coal and Steel Community—Belgium, Italy, France, the Netherlands, West Germany and Luxembourg. The Common Market was established by the Treaty of Rome, and it became operational January 1, 1958. Its headquarters are in Brussels, Belgium.
The purpose of the Common Market is gradually to remove restrictions on the free circulation of goods, workers, services and capital among member nations. And a degree of success has been realized in achieving these aims. Nevertheless, a truly unified market exists in connection with only a limited number of products, such as automobiles, household appliances, and so forth. A larger aim of this organization is a political unification of Europe.
The other six-nation organization that was established at the same time as the Common Market is the European Atomic Energy Commission, also called Euratom. It includes the same six nations as does the Common Market and the European Coal and Steel Community.
Euratom was conceived following the Suez crisis in 1956 when it was thought that a serious oil shortage might develop and that atomic energy would soon be required by European countries. Although traffic in oil was speedily restored, Euratom was established for the purpose of developing atomic energy for peaceful purposes.
These three communities or organizations that were established to create a unified Europe are linked in various ways. For example, they share in common a 142-member European Parliament, as well as a seven-man Court of Justice. Also, the three communities have an administrative body called the Commission. This was formed by merging the Commission of the Common Market, the Commission of Euratom and the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community. This Commission meets in Brussels, Belgium.
Present Outlook
Truly there is an abundance of machinery for creating a unified Europe. But what is the present outlook? Are European countries moving closer to a United States of Europe?
Circumstances that existed following World War II and during the 1950’s have changed. This has greatly affected the outlook. People in Europe are no longer destitute and poor, but are generally prospering materially. Many Europeans now view the danger of attack by Russia as remote. Thus, instead of their desiring to work together for the common benefit of all, the spirit of nationalism is growing stronger. The enthusiasm regarding a unified Europe, which existed a few years ago, has all but vanished.
Some European capitals are even taking a position against the Common Market Commission. A German observer noted: “Confidence has dropped to a new low. Disappointment and resignation are spreading. ‘The Six’ have virtually ceased to move ahead.” In fact, Common Market employees in Brussels have left by the hundreds to seek more promising careers elsewhere.
Stewart Alsop, columnist for Newsweek, noted recently: “There was a time when the weakness of Europe, the terrible memory of war, and the fear of Russia made it possible to talk seriously about a United States of Europe. It is silly to talk about it now.”
And beneath its headline THE FADING DREAM OF “ONE EUROPE,” U.S. News & World Report said: “Trend is toward each nation’s looking out for itself. Once-high hopes that the market would become nucleus of a United States of Europe are just about gone.”
Thus, despite the high hopes once held for uniting neighbors in Europe, selfishness and national interests have been largely responsible for the dissipation of such hopes. These efforts at European unification simply provide another example of man’s inability to provide the peace that is so much desired by mankind. For lasting peace, men must look to God.