EU Timeline: 1950s

Significant events:

1950   |   1951   |   1952   |   1953   |   1954   |   1955   |   1956   |   1957   |   1958   |   1959

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1950

9 May

Echoing Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman, the French foreign minister, proposes integrating the coal and steel industries of Western Europe.

3 June

Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Italy, The Netherlands, and Germany support Schuman's proposition.

26 to 28 August

The Council of Europe Assembly approves the Schuman plan.

19 September

The European Union of payments is created.

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1951

18 April

Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and The Netherlands (The Six) sign the Treaty of Paris establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).

10 December

Paul-Henri Spaak, resigns as head of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe, protesting against the United Kingdom's indifferent attitude towards Europe.

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1952

27 May

The Six sign the European Defence Community (EDC) Treaty in Paris.

23 July

The ECSC Treaty comes into force, with Jean Monnet appointed as President of the High Authority.

30 July

Luxembourg is chosen to temporarily provide headquarters for the ECSC.

10 August

The ECSC High Authority takes office.

10 September

The Common Assembly is created, with Paul-Henri Spaak as its first president.

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1953

1 January

The first European tax, the ECSC levy, comes into operation.

10 February

The Common Market for coal and iron ore is instigated, removing customs duties and quotas.

9 March

Paul-Henri Spaak, President of the Assembly, gives to former French prime minister Georges Bidault of the ECSC Council, a draft treaty laying down institutions for a political European Community. Such a community would protect fundamental human rights, guarantee collective security, present coordinated foreign policy, and establish a Common Market. The draft treaty envisages five institutions: a European Executive Council; a two-chamber Parliament; a Council of National Ministers; a Court of Justice and an Economic and Social Committee.

15 March

The Common Market for scrap iron is set up.

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1954

11 May

Alcide de Gasperi, former prime minister of Italy, is elected President of the European Parliamentary Assembly.

20 to 23 August

The Six meet in Brussels, where the French statesman Pierre Mendès-France fails to persuade his counterparts to abandon the supranational element of the European Defence Community (EDC).

30 August

The French National Assembly rejects the European Defence Community Treaty.

10 November

Jean Monnet resigns as President of the ECSC High Authority after the EDC failure.

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1955

1 June

René Mayer, former prime minister of France, is elected President of the ECSC High Authority.

1 to 2 June

Foreign ministers of The Six meet in Messina and agree the aim of economic integration.

8 December

The Council of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopts a blue flag with twelve golden stars as its emblem.
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1956

7 January

The ECSC High Authority supports unrestricted and free movement within the Community of steel products imported form third countries.

6 May

Paul-Henri Spaak presents to the ECSC a report on the draft Community Treaties recommending creating a European Economic Community (EEC) and a European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM).

29 May

Foreign ministers of The Six approve the Spaak Report, and instigate negotiations regarding the creation of the EEC and EURATOM.

26 June

Negotiations to create the EEC and EURATOM open in Brussels.

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1957

25 March

The Six sign the Treaty of Rome establishing the EEC and EURATOM.

27 November

Hans Furler, German statesman, is elected President of the Common Assembly of the ECSC.

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1958

1 January

The Treaty of Rome is enacted. The EEC and EURATOM are located in Brussels and the Parliamentary Assembly in Luxembourg.

7 January

Walter Hallstein, German statesman, is elected President of the EEC Commission; Louis Armand, French statesman, is elected President of the EURATOM Commission; Paul Finet, Belgian statesman, is elected President of the ECSC High Authority.

19 March

At a session in Strasburg, the Assembly of the ECSC is replaced by the European Parliamentary Assembly, with Robert Schuman as president.

15 April

The first Council regulation makes German, French, Italian and Dutch as the official languages of the Communities.

13 May

The deputies of the European Parliamentary Assembly sit for the first time according to political groups rather than nationality.

21 to 27 May

The European Parliamentary Assembly adopts its internal regulation.

3 to 11 July

A conference in Stresa sets down the foundations of a common agricultural policy (CAP).

4 December

The Governors of the European Investment Bank adopt the first directives regarding the credit policy of the Bank.

29 December

The European Monetary Agreement comes into being.

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1959

1 January

The initial steps are taken to abolish of custom duties and quotas within the EEC.

7 January

Robert Schuman is re-elected President of the European Parliamentary Assembly.

2 February

Etienne Hirsch, French administrator, is elected President of the EURATOM Commission.

3 March

The European Court of Justice adopts its procedure regulations.

20 March

The European Investment Bank grants its first loans.

8 June

Greece applies for association with the EEC.

20 to 21 July

Seven European countries outside of the EEC, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC), set out plans for a European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

31 July

Turkey applies for association with the EEC.

10 September

Negotiations begin for the association with the EEC of Greece.

11 September

Piero Malvestiti, Italian statesman, is elected President of the ECSC High Authority.

27 September

Negotiations begin for the association with the EEC of Turkey.

13 October

Pierre Wigny proposes uniting the High Authority of the ECSC, the Commission of the EEC and the Commission of EURATOM within a single institutional arrangement.

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