Editing European Economic Community

{{Short description|Former international organisation}}
{{About-distinguish-text|one of the three [[European Communities]] that existed from 1958 until 2009 and was renamed European Community in 1993|the present-day [[European Union]], which incorporated the European Communities in 1993}}
{{Redirect-multi|3|European Common Market|Common Market|EEC|the EU's internal market|European single market|the type of trade bloc|Single market|other uses|Common market (disambiguation)|and|EEC (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox country
| conventional_long_name = {{collapsible list
  | titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:center;line-height:normal;font-size:78%;
  | title = European Economic Community/European Community
  | {{Infobox |subbox=yes |bodystyle=font-size:74%;font-weight:normal;
    | rowclass4 = mergedrow | label4 = [[Danish language|Danish]]: | data4 = {{lang|da|Europæiske Økonomiske Fællesskab}}
    | rowclass5 = mergedrow | label5 = [[Dutch language|Dutch]]: | data5 = {{lang|nl|Europese Economische Gemeenschap}}
    | rowclass8 = mergedrow | label8 = [[French language|French]]: | data8 = {{lang|fr|Communauté économique européenne}}
    | rowclass9 = mergedrow | label9 = [[German language|German]]: | data9 = {{lang|de|Europäische Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft}}
    | rowclass10 = mergedrow | label10 = [[Greek language|Greek]]: | data10 = {{lang|el|Ευρωπαϊκή Οικονομική Κοινότητα}}
    | rowclass13 = mergedrow | label13 = [[Italian language|Italian]]: | data13 = {{lang|it|Comunità Economica Europea}}
    | rowclass18 = mergedrow | label18 = [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]: | data18 = {{lang|pt|Comunidade Económica Europeia}}
    | rowclass22 = mergedrow | label22 = [[Spanish language|Spanish]]: | data22 = {{lang|es|Comunidad Económica Europea}}
    }}
  }}
| common_name            = EEC/EC
| status                 = [[Economic union]]
| era                    = Cold War
| s1                     = European Union
| flag_s1                = Flag of Europe.svg
| flag_caption           = [[Flag of Europe#European Community|Flag (1986)]]<ref name="emblem"/>
| image_flag             = Flag of Europe.svg
| image_map              = European Economic Community (orthographic projection).svg
| image_map_caption      = EEC in 1993
| image_map_size         = 220px
| capital_type           = [[Institutional seats of the European Union|Institutional seats]]
| capital                = {{plainlist|
*[[City of Brussels|Brussels]]
*[[Luxembourg City|Luxembourg]]
*[[Strasbourg]]²}}
| largest_city           = [[London]]
| official_languages     = {{Collapsible list|titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:left;font-weight:normal;|title=[[Languages of the European Union|9]] (1993)|[[Danish language|Danish]] |[[Dutch language|Dutch]] |[[English language|English]] |[[French language|French]] |[[German language|German]] |[[Greek language|Greek]] |[[Italian language|Italian]] |[[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] |[[Spanish language|Spanish]]}}
| national_anthem        = "[[Anthem of Europe|Ode to Joy]]" {{small|(orchestral)}}
[[File:Anthem of Europe (US Navy instrumental short version).ogg|center]]
| currency               = {{Collapsible list |titlestyle=font-weight:normal; background:transparent; text-align:left;|title=13 currencies|[[European Unit of Account|EUA]]/[[European Currency Unit|ECU]] (accounting)|[[Belgian franc]]|[[Danish krone]]|[[French franc]]|[[Deutsche Mark|German mark]]|[[Modern drachma|Greek drachma]]|[[Irish pound]]|[[Italian lira]]|[[Luxembourgish franc]]|[[Dutch guilder]]|[[Portuguese escudo]]|[[Spanish peseta]]|[[Pound sterling]]}}
| title_leader           = [[President of the European Commission|Commission President]]
| leader1                = [[Walter Hallstein]]
| year_leader1           = 1958–1967
| leader2                = [[Jean Rey (politician)|Jean Rey]]
| year_leader2           = 1967–1970
| leader3                = [[Franco Maria Malfatti]]
| year_leader3           = 1970–1972
| leader4                = [[Sicco Mansholt]]
| year_leader4           = 1972–1973
| leader5                = [[François-Xavier Ortoli]]
| year_leader5           = 1973–1977
| leader6                = [[Roy Jenkins]]
| year_leader6           = 1977–1981
| leader7                = [[Gaston Thorn]]
| year_leader7           = 1981–1985
| leader8                = [[Jacques Delors]]
| year_leader8           = 1985–1993
| legislature            = {{plainlist|
*[[Council of the European Union|Council of Ministers]]
*[[European&nbsp;Parliament]]}}
| life_span              = 1958–1993
| event_pre              = [[Treaty of Rome|Treaty signed]]
| date_pre               = 25 March 1957
| event_start            = [[Treaty of Rome|Established]]
| year_start             = 1958
| date_start             = 1 January
| event1                 = [[Merger Treaty|European Communities]]
| date_event1            = 1 July 1967
| event2                 = [[European single market|Single market]]
| date_event2            = 1 January 1993
| event_end              = [[Maastricht Treaty|EEC becomes the European Community, one of the 3 European Communities constituting the I pillar of the EU]]
| year_end               = 1993
| date_end               = 1 November
| event_post             = [[Treaty of Lisbon|Pillar abolished]]
| date_post              = 1 December 2009
| today                  = {{nowrap|[[European Union]]}} <br/>{{nowrap|[[United Kingdom]]}}
| footnotes              = ¹ The information in this infobox covers the EEC's time as an independent organisation. It does not give details of post-1993 operation within the EU as that is explained in greater length in the [[European Union]] and [[European Communities]] articles.<br />² ''De facto'' only, these cities hosted the main institutions but were not titled as capitals.
}}
{{EU history|expanded=Organization}}

The '''European Economic Community''' ('''EEC''') was a [[regional organisation]] created by the [[Treaty of Rome]] of 1957,<ref group="note">Today the largely rewritten treaty continues in force as the ''Treaty on the functioning of the European Union'', as renamed by the Lisbon Treaty.</ref> aiming to foster [[economic integration]] among its member states. It was subsequently renamed the '''European Community''' ('''EC''') upon becoming integrated into the [[Three pillars of the European Union|first pillar]] of the newly formed [[European Union]] (EU) in 1993. In the popular language, the singular ''European Community'' was sometimes inaccurately used in the wider sense of the plural ''[[European Communities]]'', in spite of the latter designation covering all the three constituent entities of the first pillar.<ref name="singular">{{unordered list|{{cite web|title=European Community|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1B1-364013.html|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica|quote=The term also commonly refers to the 'European Communities', which comprise&nbsp;...|access-date=30 January 2009}}|{{cite web|title=Introduction to EU Publications|publisher=The University of Exeter|work=Guide to European Union Publications at the EDC|url=http://library.exeter.ac.uk/guides/libraries/edcguide.html|quote=The European Community originally consisted of three separate Communities founded by treaty&nbsp;...|access-date=30 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070924171113/http://www.library.exeter.ac.uk/guides/libraries/edcguide.html|archive-date=24 September 2007|url-status=dead}}|{{cite web|title=Glossary of The European Union and European Communities|author=Derek Urwin, University of Aberdeen|url=http://www.uta.fi/FAST/GC/eurgloss.html|quote=European Community (EC). The often used singular of the European Communities.|access-date=30 January 2009}}}}</ref> The EEC was also known as the '''European Common Market''' (ECM) in the English-speaking countries,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagobooth.edu/review/two-faces-common-market|title=From 1963: The Two Faces of the Common Market|publisher=The University of Chicago Booth School of Business}}</ref> and sometimes referred to as the European Community even before it was officially renamed as such in 1993. In 2009, the EC formally ceased to exist and its institutions were directly absorbed by the EU. This made the Union the formal successor institution of the Community.

The Community's initial aim was to bring about economic integration, including a [[Single market|common market]] and [[customs union]], among its [[Inner Six|six founding members]]: [[Belgium]], [[France]], [[Italy]], [[Luxembourg]], the [[Netherlands]] and [[West Germany]]. It gained a common set of [[Institutions of the European Union|institutions]] along with the [[European Coal and Steel Community]] (ECSC) and the [[Euratom|European Atomic Energy Community]] (EURATOM) as one of the [[European Communities]] under the 1965 [[Merger Treaty]] (Treaty of Brussels). In 1993, a complete [[single market]] was achieved, known as the [[European single market|internal market]], which allowed for the free movement of goods, capital, services, and people within the EEC. In 1994 the internal market was formalised by the EEA agreement. This agreement also extended the internal market to include most of the member states of the [[European Free Trade Association]], forming the [[European Economic Area]], which encompasses 15 countries.

Upon the entry into force of the [[Maastricht Treaty]] in 1993, the EEC was renamed the European Community to reflect that it covered a wider range than economic policy.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Maastricht Treaty|url=https://www.europarl.europa.eu/about-parliament/en/in-the-past/the-parliament-and-the-treaties/maastricht-treaty|access-date=30 August 2024|website=Maastricht Treaty|language=en}}</ref> This was also when the three European Communities, including the EC, were collectively made to constitute the first of the [[three pillars of the European Union]], which the treaty also founded. The EC existed in this form until it was abolished by the 2009 [[Treaty of Lisbon]], which incorporated the EC's institutions into the EU's wider framework and provided that the EU would "replace and succeed the European Community".<ref>{{Cite web|last=by|date=10 November 2019|title=European Economic Community|url=https://jammukashmir.pscnotes.com/international-booster/european-economic-community/|access-date=30 August 2024|website=Jammu&Kashmir PCS Exam Notes|language=en-US}}</ref>

==History==
{{Further|History of the European Union}}

===Background===
In April 1951, the [[Treaty of Paris (1951)|Treaty of Paris]] was signed, creating the [[European Coal and Steel Community]] (ECSC). This was an international community based on [[Supranational union|supranationalism]] and international law, designed to help the [[Economy of the European Union|economy of Europe]] and prevent future war by [[European integration|integrating]] its [[Member state of the European Union|members]].

With the aim of creating a [[European Federation|federal Europe]] two further communities were proposed: a [[Treaty establishing the European Defence Community|European Defence Community]] and a [[European Political Community (1952)|European Political Community]]. While the treaty for the latter was being drawn up by the [[European Parliament|Common Assembly]], the ECSC parliamentary chamber, the proposed defence community was rejected by the [[French Parliament]]. ECSC President [[Jean Monnet]], a leading figure behind the communities, resigned from the High Authority in protest and began work on alternative communities, based on economic integration rather than political integration.<ref>Raymond F. Mikesell, ''The Lessons of Benelux and the European Coal and Steel Community for the European Economic Community'', The American Economic Review, Vol. 48, No. 2, Papers and Proceedings of the Seventieth Annual Meeting of the American Economic Association (May 1958), pp. 428–441</ref> Following the [[Messina Conference]] in 1955, [[Paul-Henri Spaak]] was given the task to prepare a report on the idea of a [[customs union]]. The so-called [[Spaak Report]] of the [[Spaak Committee]] formed the cornerstone of the intergovernmental negotiations at Val Duchesse conference centre in 1956.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aei.pitt.edu/995/|title=Spaak report|year=1956}}</ref> Together with the [[Ohlin Report]] the Spaak Report would provide the basis for the [[Treaty of Rome]].

In 1956, [[Paul-Henri Spaak]] led the [[Intergovernmental Conference on the Common Market and Euratom]] at the [[Château of Val-Duchesse|Val Duchesse]] conference centre, which prepared for the [[Treaty of Rome]] in 1957. The conference led to the signature, on 25 March 1957, of the [[Treaty of Rome]] establishing a European Economic Community.

===Creation and early years===
The resulting communities were the European Economic Community (EEC) and the [[Euratom|European Atomic Energy Community]] (EURATOM or sometimes EAEC). These were markedly less supranational than the previous communities,{{citation needed|date=December 2012}} due to protests from some countries that their [[sovereignty]] was being infringed (however there would still be concerns with the behaviour of the [[Hallstein Commission]]). Germany became a founding member of the EEC, and Konrad Adenauer was made leader in a very short time. The first formal meeting of the [[Hallstein Commission]] was held on 16 January 1958 at the [[Château of Val-Duchesse|Château de Val-Duchesse]]. The EEC (direct ancestor of the modern Community) was to create a [[customs union]] while Euratom would promote co-operation in the [[nuclear power]] sphere. The EEC rapidly became the most important of these and expanded its activities. The first move towards political developments came at the end of 1959 when the foreign ministers of the six members announced that would be meeting quarterly to discuss political issues and international problems.<ref>European Parliament Political Committee 'Towards Political Union', General Directorate Parliamentary Documentation and Information, January 1964, p. 5.</ref> One of the first important accomplishments of the EEC was the establishment (1962) of common price levels for agricultural products. In 1968, internal tariffs (tariffs on trade between member nations) were removed on certain products.

[[File:De Gaulle-OWI.jpg|thumb|[[French President]] [[Charles de Gaulle]] vetoed British membership, held back the development of Parliament's powers and was at the centre of the 'empty chair crisis' of 1965.]]
Another crisis was triggered in regard to proposals for the financing of the [[Common Agricultural Policy]], which came into force in 1962. The transitional period whereby decisions were made by unanimity had come to an end, and majority-voting in the council had taken effect. Then-[[President of France|French President]] [[Charles de Gaulle]]'s opposition to supranationalism and fear of the other members challenging the CAP led to an "empty chair policy" whereby French representatives were withdrawn from the European institutions until the French veto was reinstated. Eventually, a compromise was reached with the [[Luxembourg compromise]] on 29 January 1966 whereby a [[gentlemen's agreement]] permitted members to use a veto on areas of national interest.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Horsley|first=William|date=19 March 2007|title=Fifty years of fraternal rivalry|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6453889.stm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820132441/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6453889.stm|archive-date=20 August 2023|website=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/the_empty_chair_policy-en-f6d19361-9a7a-4e39-ae93-0f898e652d85.html|title=The 'empty chair' policy|date=7 August 2016|website=CVCE Website|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101015242/https://www.cvce.eu/obj/the_empty_chair_policy-en-f6d19361-9a7a-4e39-ae93-0f898e652d85.html|archive-date=1 November 2022}}</ref>

On 1 July 1967, when the [[Merger Treaty]] came into operation, combining the institutions of the ECSC and Euratom into that of the EEC, they already shared a [[European Parliament|Parliamentary Assembly]] and [[European Court of Justice|Courts]]. Collectively they were known as the ''[[European Communities]]''. The Communities still had independent personalities although were increasingly integrated. Future treaties granted the community new powers beyond simple economic matters which had achieved a high level of integration. As it got closer to the goal of political integration and a peaceful and united Europe, what [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] described as a ''[[Common European Home]]''.

===Enlargement and elections===
The 1960s saw the first attempts at [[Enlargement of the European Union|enlargement]]. In 1961, [[Denmark]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Norway]] (in 1962), applied to join the three Communities. However, President Charles de Gaulle saw British membership as a [[Trojan Horse]] for U.S. influence and vetoed membership,<ref>{{cite web|title=General de Gaulle's first veto|url=https://www.cvce.eu/en/education/unit-content/-/unit/02bb76df-d066-4c08-a58a-d4686a3e68ff/e491121c-8e37-473f-afe6-ff52e349c1aa|website=CVCE|publisher=University of Luxemburg|access-date=4 May 2022}}</ref> and the applications of all four countries were suspended.<ref>{{cite web|title=General de Gaulle's first veto|url=https://www.cvce.eu/en/education/unit-content/-/unit/02bb76df-d066-4c08-a58a-d4686a3e68ff/e491121c-8e37-473f-afe6-ff52e349c1aa/Resources|website=CVCE|publisher=University of Luxemburg|access-date=4 May 2022}}</ref>  [[Greece]] became the first country to join the EC in 1961 as an associate member, however its membership was suspended in 1967 after a coup d'état established a military dictatorship called the [[Greek junta|Regime of the Colonels]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Deschamps|first1=Etienne|last2=Lekl|first2=Christian|title=The accession of Greece|url=https://www.cvce.eu/content/publication/1999/1/1/61a2a7a5-39a9-4b06-91f8-69ae77b41515/publishable_en.pdf|website=CVCE|publisher=University of Luxemburg|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref>

A year later, in February 1962, [[Spain]] attempted to join the European Community. However, because [[Francoist Spain]] was not a democracy, all members rejected the request in 1964.

The four countries resubmitted their applications on 11 May 1967 and with [[Georges Pompidou]] succeeding Charles de Gaulle as French president in 1969, the veto was lifted. Negotiations began in 1970 under the pro-European UK government of [[Edward Heath]], who had to deal with disagreements relating to the [[Common Agricultural Policy]] and the UK's relationship with the [[Commonwealth of Nations]]. Nevertheless, two years later the accession treaties were signed so that Denmark, Ireland and the UK [[Enlargement of the European Union#First enlargement|joined the Community]] effective 1 January 1973. The Norwegian people had [[Norway–European Union relations|rejected membership]] in a [[1972 Norwegian European Communities membership referendum|referendum on 25 September 1972]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/28/newsid_4208000/4208314.stm|title=1994: Norway votes 'no' to Europe|date=28 November 1994|work=BBC News}}</ref>

The [[Treaty of Rome|Treaties of Rome]] had stated that the [[European Parliament]] must be directly elected, however this required the [[Council of the European Union|Council]] to agree on a common voting system first. The Council procrastinated on the issue and the Parliament remained appointed,<ref name="Hoskyns">{{Cite book|last=Hoskyns|first=Catherine|author2=Michael Newman|title=Democratizing the European Union: Issues for the twenty-first Century (Perspectives on Democratization)|publisher=[[Manchester University Press]]|year=2000|isbn=978-0-7190-5666-6}}</ref> French President Charles de Gaulle was particularly active in blocking the development of the Parliament, with it only being granted [[Budgetary treaties of the European Communities|Budgetary powers]] following his resignation.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Murphy|first1=Craig N.|title=The Oxford Companion to Comparative Politics|date=2013|publisher=OUP USA|isbn=978-0-19-973859-5|page=372|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r-dMAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA372|language=en|quote=De Gaulle's resignation in 1969 brought new energy. The European Parliament gained budgetary powers ...}}</ref>

Parliament pressured for agreement and on 20 September 1976 the Council agreed part of the necessary instruments for election, deferring details on electoral systems which remain varied to this day.<ref name="Hoskyns"/> During the tenure of [[Roy Jenkins|President Jenkins]], in June 1979, the elections were held in all the then-members (see [[1979 European Parliament election]]).<ref name="Veil election">{{cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/background_page/008-1806-015-01-03-901-20070109BKG01804-15-01-2007-2007-false/default_p001c006_en.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219023023/http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/background_page/008-1806-015-01-03-901-20070109BKG01804-15-01-2007-2007-false/default_p001c006_en.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 February 2014|title=Press releases|website=European Parliament}}</ref> The new Parliament, galvanised by direct election and new powers, started working full-time and became more active than the previous assemblies.<ref name="Hoskyns"/>

Shortly after its election, the Parliament proposed that the Community adopt the [[flag of Europe]] design used by the [[Council of Europe]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=European Flag|url=https://european-union.europa.eu/principles-countries-history/symbols/european-flag_en|website=European Union|access-date=17 June 2022|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&reference=A6-2008-0347&language=EN&mode=XML|title=Report on the Insertion of a new Rule 202a on the use by Parliament of the symbols of the Union (2007/2240(REG))- Explanatory Statement|website=European Parliament}}</ref> The European Council in 1984 appointed an ''ad hoc'' committee for this purpose.<ref>[https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/resources/historicaldocument.faces/en/4659/html.bookmark Regarding The "Adonnino Report" - Report to the European Council by the ad hoc committee "On a People's Europe", A 10.04 COM 85, SN/2536/3/85]. 
Under the header of "strengthening of the Community's image and identity", the Committee
suggested the introduction of "a flag and an emblem", recommending a design based on the Council of Europe flag, but with the addition of "a gold letter E" in the center of the circle of stars:
"bearing in mind the independence and the different nature of the two organizations, the Committee proposes to the European Council that the European Community emblem and flag should be a blue rectangle with, in the center, a circle of twelve five-pointed gold stars which do not touch, surrounding a gold letter E, of the design already used by the Commission." Adonnino Report, p. 31.</ref> The European Council in 1985 largely followed the committee's recommendations, but as the adoption of a flag was strongly reminiscent of a [[national flag]] representing [[State (polity)|statehood]], was controversial, the "flag of Europe" design was adopted only with the status of a "logo" or "emblem".<ref name="emblem">{{cite book|last1=Theiler|first1=Tobias|title=Political Symbolism and European Integration|date=2005|publisher=Manchester University Press|isbn=9780719069949|pages=61–65|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JMiqfaCXr50C&pg=PA61|language=en|quote=The compromise was widely disregarded from the beginning, and the "European logo" in spite of the explicit avoidance of giving it the status of a "flag" was referred to as "Community flag" or even "European flag" from the outset.}}</ref>

The European Council, or European summit, had developed since the 1960s as an informal meeting of the Council at the level of heads of state. It had originated from then-[[President of France|French President]] [[Charles de Gaulle]]'s resentment at the domination of supranational institutions (e.g. the commission) over the integration process. It was mentioned in the treaties for the first time in the [[Single European Act]] (see below).<ref name="Dragoman">{{Cite web|last=Stark|first=Christine|title=Evolution of the European Council: The implications of a permanent seat|publisher=Dragoman.org|url=http://www.dragoman.org/ec/belfast-2002.pdf|access-date=12 July 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070709220601/http://www.dragoman.org/ec/belfast-2002.pdf|archive-date=9 July 2007}}</ref>

[[File:Enlargement of the European Union 77.gif|thumb|Enlargement, 1957 to 2013<br />{{legend|#003399|Community enlargement}}{{legend|#225522|Since 1995}}]]

===Toward Maastricht===
[[Greece]] re-applied to join the community on 12 June 1975, following the restoration of democracy, and joined on 1 January 1981.<ref name="accgr">{{cite web|first1=Etienne|last1=Deschamps|first2=Christian|last2=Lekl|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/the_accession_of_greece-en-61a2a7a5-39a9-4b06-91f8-69ae77b41515.html|title=The accession of Greece|publisher=Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance sur l'Europe, Universite de Luxembourg|date=2016}}</ref> Following on from Greece, and after their own democratic restoration, [[Spain]] and [[Portugal]] applied to the communities in 1977 and joined on 1 January 1986.<ref>[http://www.cvce.eu/obj/the_accession_of_spain_and_portugal-en-b1dd040b-7463-4e67-88f2-4890f5b8fac6.html The Accession Treaties with Spain and Portugal] on CVCE website</ref> In 1987, [[Turkey]] formally applied to join the Community and began the longest application process for any country.

With the prospect of further enlargement, and a desire to increase areas of co-operation, the [[Single European Act]] was signed by the foreign ministers on 17 and 28 February 1986 in [[Luxembourg City|Luxembourg]] and [[The Hague]] respectively. In a single document it dealt with reform of institutions, extension of powers, foreign policy cooperation and the single market. It came into force on 1 July 1987.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/the_provisions_of_the_single_european_act-en-243555aa-d219-4525-9978-34325bb5e17a.html|title=The provisions of the Single European Act|date=7 August 2016}}</ref> The act was followed by work on what would be the [[Maastricht Treaty]], which was agreed on 10 December 1991, signed the following year and coming into force on 1 November 1993 establishing the European Union, and paving the way for the [[Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union|European Monetary Union]].

===European Community===

The EU absorbed the European Communities as one of its [[three pillars of the European Union|three pillars]]. The EEC's areas of activities were enlarged and were renamed the ''European Community'', continuing to follow the [[Supranational union|supranational]] structure of the EEC. The EEC institutions became those of the EU, however the Court, Parliament and Commission had only limited input in the new pillars, as they worked on a more [[International organization|intergovernmental]] system than the European Communities. This was reflected in the names of the institutions, the council was formally the "Council of the ''European Union''" while the commission was formally the "Commission of the ''European Communities''".

There are more competencies listed in Article 3 of the European Communities pillar than there are in Article 3 of the Treaty of Rome. This is due to the fact that some competencies were already inherent in the Treaty of Tome, some were referred to in the Treaty of Rome, and some were extended under Article 235 of the Treaty of Rome. Competencies were added to cover trans-European networks, and the work of the Culture Committee and Education Committee that were previously sharing existing competencies. The only entry in Article 3 that represented something new is the competence covering the entry and movement of persons in the internal market.

However, after the Treaty of Maastricht, Parliament gained a more formal role. Maastricht brought in the [[codecision procedure]], which gave it equal legislative power with the Council on Community matters. This replaced the informal parliamentary blocking powers established by the 1979 Isoglucose decision.<ref>Case 138/79</ref>

It also abolished any existing [[State (polity)|state]] like [[Simple Majority]] voting in the EEC, replacing it with [[Voting in the Council of the European Union|Qualified Majority Voting]], a procedure more commonly used in international organisations.

The [[Treaty of Amsterdam]] transferred responsibility for free movement of persons (e.g., [[Travel visa|visas]], [[illegal immigration]], [[Right of asylum|asylum]]) from the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) pillar to the European Community (JHA was renamed [[Area of freedom, security and justice|Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters]] (PJCC) as a result).<ref name="Folk">[http://www.eu-oplysningen.dk/euo_en/spsv/all/12/ What are the three pillars of the EU?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523080044/http://www.eu-oplysningen.dk/euo_en/spsv/all/12/ |date=23 May 2010 }}, Folketingets EU-Oplysning</ref> Both Amsterdam and the [[Treaty of Nice]] also extended [[codecision procedure]] to nearly all policy areas, giving Parliament equal power to the Council in the Community.

In 2002, the [[Treaty of Paris (1951)|Treaty of Paris]] which established the ECSC expired, having reached its 50-year limit (as the first treaty, it was the only one with a limit). No attempt was made to renew its mandate; instead, the [[Treaty of Nice]] transferred certain of its elements to the [[Treaty of Rome]] and hence its work continued as part of the EC area of the European Community's remit.

After the entry into force of the [[Treaty of Lisbon]] in 2009 the pillar structure ceased to exist. The European Community, together with its [[legal person]]ality, was absorbed into the newly consolidated European Union which merged in the other two pillars (however Euratom remained distinct). This was originally proposed under the [[Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe|European Constitution]] but that treaty failed ratification in 2005.

==Aims and achievements==
{{Expand section|date=December 2007}}
The main aim of the EEC, as stated in its preamble, was to "preserve peace and liberty and to lay the foundations of an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe". Calling for balanced economic growth, this was to be accomplished through:<ref name="ENA EEC achievements">{{Cite web|title=The achievements of the EEC|date=20 October 2012|publisher=CVCE|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/report_by_the_eec_commission_on_the_implementation_of_the_treaty_of_rome_january_1958_january_1962-en-a757255d-b121-4d44-842f-1aa861a5f018.html|access-date=26 April 2013}}</ref>

# The establishment of a [[customs union]] with a [[common external tariff]]
# Common policies for [[Common Agricultural Policy|agriculture]], [[Transport in Europe|transport]] and trade, including [[standardization]] (for example, the [[CE marking]] designates standards compliance)
# [[Enlargement of the European Union|Enlargement of the EEC]] to the rest of Europe

Citing Article 2 from the original text of the Treaty of Rome of 25 March 1957, the EEC aimed at "a harmonious development of economic activities, a continuous and balanced expansion, an increase in stability, an accelerated raising of the standard of living and closer relations between the States belonging to it". Given the fear of the Cold War, many Western Europeans were afraid that poverty would make "the population vulnerable to communist propaganda" (Meurs 2018, p.&nbsp;68), meaning that increasing prosperity would be beneficial to harmonise power between the Western and Eastern blocs, other than reconcile Member States such as France and Germany after WW2. 

The tasks entrusted to the Community were divided among an assembly, the European Parliament, Council, Commission, and Court of Justice. Moreover, restrictions to market were lifted to further liberate trade among Member States. Citizens of Member States (other than goods, services, and capital) were entitled to freedom of movement. The CAP, Common Agricultural Policy, regulated and subsided the agricultural sphere. A European Social Fund was implemented in favour of employees who lost their jobs. A European Investment Bank was established to "facilitate the economic expansion of the Community by opening up fresh resources" (Art. 3 Treaty of Rome 25 March 1957). All these implementations included overseas territories. Competition was to be kept alive to make products cheaper for European consumers.

For the customs union, the treaty provided for a 10% reduction in custom duties and up to 20% of global import quotas. Progress on the customs union proceeded much faster than the twelve years planned. However, France faced some setbacks due to their [[Algerian War|war with Algeria]].<ref name="ENA Customs">{{Cite web|title=The European Customs Union|publisher=CVCE|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/the_european_customs_union-en-08ef3b37-2ab4-4349-aec8-819809c59a9d.html|access-date=26 April 2013}}</ref>

==Members==
{{Further|Member state of the European Union|Enlargement of the European Union}}

The six states that founded the EEC and the other two Communities were known as the "[[Inner Six|inner six]]" (the "outer seven" were those countries who formed the [[European Free Trade Association]]). The six were France, West Germany, Italy and the three [[Benelux]] countries: Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The first enlargement was in 1973, with the accession of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Greece, Spain and Portugal joined in the 1980s. The former [[East Germany]] became part of the EEC upon German reunification in 1990. Following the creation of the EU in 1993, it has enlarged to include an additional sixteen countries by 2013.

[[File:Expansion of the European Communities 1973-1992.png|thumb|upright=1.35|{{Legend|darkgreen|Founding members of EEC}}{{Legend|darkblue|Later members of EEC}}]]

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! class="unsortable" | Flag
! [[Member State of the European Union|State]]
! [[List of European Union member states by accession|Accession]]
! class="unsortable" | Language(s)
! Currency
! Population<br />(1990)<ref>Data from [http://www.populstat.info/ Populstat.info] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326104705/http://www.populstat.info/ |date=26 March 2012 }}</ref>
|-
| {{Flagdeco|Belgium}}
| [[Belgium]]
| style="text-align:right" | {{dts|format=dmy|1957|3|25}}
| [[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[French language|French]] and [[German language|German]]
| [[Belgian franc|Franc]] (fr.)<ref group="note" name="Francs">The Belgian and Luxembourgish francs were 1:1 and theoretically interchangeable as a single currency.</ref>
| {{Nts|10016000}}
|-
| {{Flagdeco|France}}
| [[France]]
| style="text-align:right" | {{dts|format=dmy|1957|3|25}}
| French
| [[French franc|Franc]] (F)
| {{Nts|56718000}}
|-
| {{Flagdeco|Germany}}
| [[West Germany]]/[[Germany]]<ref group="note">[[German reunification]] took place in 1990.</ref>
| style="text-align:right" | {{dts|format=dmy|1957|3|25}}
| German
| [[Deutsche Mark|Mark]] (DM)
| {{Nts|63254000}}<ref group="note">Including [[East Germany]]: 80,274,200</ref>
|-
| {{Flagdeco|Italy}}
| [[Italy]]
| style="text-align:right" | {{dts|format=dmy|1957|3|25}}
| [[Italian language|Italian]]
| [[Italian lira|Lira]] (Lit.)
| {{Nts|56762700}}
|-
| {{Flagdeco|Luxembourg}}
| [[Luxembourg]]
| style="text-align:right" | {{dts|format=dmy|1957|3|25}}
| French, German and [[Luxembourgish]]
| [[Luxembourgish franc|Franc]] (fr.)<ref group="note" name="Francs" />
| {{Nts|384400}}
|-
| {{Flagdeco|Netherlands}}
| [[Kingdom of the Netherlands|Netherlands]]
| style="text-align:right" | {{dts|format=dmy|1957|3|25}}
| Dutch and [[West Frisian language|Frisian]]
| [[Dutch guilder|Guilder]] (ƒ)
| {{Nts|14892300}}
|-
| {{Flagdeco|Denmark}}
| [[Denmark]]
| style="text-align:right" | {{dts|format=dmy|1973|1|1}}
| [[Danish language|Danish]]
| [[Danish krone|Krone]] (kr.)
| {{Nts|5146500}}
|-
| {{Flagdeco|Ireland}}
| [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
| style="text-align:right" | {{dts|format=dmy|1973|1|1}}
| [[Irish language|Irish]] and [[English language|English]]
| [[Irish pound|Punt]] (£)
| {{Nts|3521000}}
|-
| {{Flagdeco|United Kingdom}}
| [[United Kingdom]]
| style="text-align:right" | {{dts|format=dmy|1973|1|1}}
| English<ref group="note">And recognised regional languages: [[Cornish language|Cornish]], [[Scots Gaelic|Gaelic]], [[Irish language|Irish]], [[Scots language|Scots]], and [[Welsh language|Welsh]]</ref>
| [[Pound sterling|Sterling]] (£)
| {{Nts|57681000}}
|-
| {{Flagdeco|Greece}}
| [[Greece]]
| style="text-align:right" | {{dts|format=dmy|1981|1|1}}
| [[Greek language|Greek]]
| [[Modern drachma|Drachma]] (₯)
| {{Nts|10120000}}
|-
| {{Flagdeco|Portugal}}
| [[Portugal]]
| style="text-align:right" | {{dts|format=dmy|1986|1|1}}
| [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]
| [[Portuguese escudo|Escudo]] ([[File:Cifrão symbol.svg|15px]])
| {{Nts|9862500}}
|-
| {{Flagdeco|Spain}}
| [[Spain]]
| style="text-align:right" | {{dts|format=dmy|1986|1|1}}
| [[Spanish language|Spanish]]<ref group="note">And recognised regional languages: [[Aranese language|Aranese]], [[Basque language|Basque]], [[Catalan language|Catalan]], and [[Galician language|Galician]]</ref>
| [[Spanish peseta|Peseta]] (₧)
| {{Nts|38993800}}
|}

Member states are represented in some form in each institution. The [[Council of the European Union|Council]] is also composed of one national minister who represents their national government. Each state also has a right to one [[European Commissioner]] each, although in the [[European Commission]] they are not supposed to represent their national interest but that of the Community. Prior to 2004, the larger members (France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom) have had two Commissioners. In the [[European Parliament]], members are [[Apportionment in the European Parliament|allocated a set number seats]] related to their population, however these ([[1979 European Parliament election|since 1979]]) have been directly elected and they sit according to political allegiance, not national origin. Most other institutions, including the [[European Court of Justice]], have some form of national division of its members.

==Institutions==
{{Further|Institutions of the European Union}}
There were three political institutions which held the executive and legislative power of the EEC, plus one judicial institution and a fifth body created in 1975. These institutions (except for the auditors) were created in 1957 by the EEC but from 1967 onwards they applied to all three Communities. The Council represents the member state governments, the Parliament represents citizens and the Commission represents the European interest.<ref name="Europa Institutions Commission">{{Cite web|title=Institutions: The European Commission|publisher=[[Europa (web portal)]]|url=http://europa.eu/institutions/inst/comm/index_en.htm|access-date=25 June 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070623104055/http://europa.eu/institutions/inst/comm/index_en.htm|archive-date=23 June 2007}}</ref> Essentially, the council, Parliament or another party place a request for legislation to the commission. The Commission then drafts this and presents it to the council for approval and the Parliament for an opinion (in some cases it had a veto, depending upon the [[European Union legislative procedure|legislative procedure]] in use). The commission's duty is to ensure it is implemented by dealing with the day-to-day running of the Union and taking others to Court if they fail to comply.<ref name="Europa Institutions Commission"/> After the Maastricht Treaty in 1993, these institutions became those of the European Union, though limited in some areas due to the pillar structure. Despite this, Parliament in particular has gained more power over legislation and security of the commission. The Court of Justice was the highest authority in the law, settling legal disputes in the Community, while the Auditors had no power but to investigate.

===Background===
[[File:Luxembourg0080.JPG|thumb|The High Authority had more executive powers than the Commission which replaced it.]]
The EEC inherited some of the [[European Coal and Steel Community#Institutions|Institutions of the ECSC]] in that the [[European Parliament|Common Assembly]] and [[European Court of Justice|Court of Justice]] of the ECSC had their authority extended to the EEC and Euratom in the same role. However the EEC, and Euratom, had different executive bodies to the ECSC. In place of the ECSC's Council of Ministers was the [[Council of the European Union|Council of the European Economic Community]], and in place of the [[High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community|High Authority]] was the [[European Commission|Commission of the European Communities]].

There was greater difference between these than name: the French government of the day had grown suspicious of the supranational power of the High Authority and sought to curb its powers in favour of the intergovernmental style Council. Hence the council had a greater executive role in the running of the EEC than was the situation in the ECSC. By virtue of the [[Merger Treaty]] in 1967, the executives of the ECSC and Euratom were merged with that of the EEC, creating a single institutional structure governing the three separate Communities. From here on, the term ''European Communities'' were used for the institutions (for example, from ''Commission of the European Economic Community'' to the ''Commission of the European Communities'').<ref name="ENA Merger">{{Cite web|title=Merging of the executives|publisher=CVCE|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/merging_the_executives-en-575850b6-f472-406a-936d-8c08a9e0db32.html|access-date=26 April 2013}}</ref><ref name="ENA Council">{{Cite web|publisher=CVCE|title=Council of the European Union|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/the_council_of_the_european_union-en-de23700c-e50a-4e0e-a7de-80665e4caf9f.html|access-date=26 April 2013}}</ref><ref name="ENA Commission">{{Cite web|title=European Commission|publisher=CVCE|url=http://www.cvce.eu/obj/european_commission-en-281a3c0c-839a-48fd-b69c-bc2588c780ec.html|access-date=26 April 2013}}</ref>

===Council===
[[File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F078267-0023, Bonn, Ministerpräsidenten mit EU-Kommissar Delors-CROPPED.jpg|thumb|[[President of the European Commission|President]] [[Jacques Delors]], the last EEC Commission President]]

The [[Council of the European Union|Council of the European Communities]] was a body holding legislative and executive powers and was thus the main decision-making body of the Community. Its [[Presidency of the Council of the European Union|Presidency]] rotated between the [[European Union member state|member states]] every six months and it is related to the [[European Council]], which was an informal gathering of national leaders (started in 1961) on the same basis as the council.<ref name="Europa Institutions Council">{{Cite web|title=Institutions: The Council of the European Union|publisher=[[Europa (web portal)]]|url=http://europa.eu/institutions/inst/council/index_en.htm|access-date=25 June 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703155822/http://europa.eu/institutions/inst/council/index_en.htm|archive-date=3 July 2007}}</ref>

The council was composed of one national [[Minister (government)|minister]] from each member state. However the Council met in various forms depending upon the topic. For example, if agriculture was being discussed, the council would be composed of each national minister for agriculture. They represented their governments and were accountable to their national political systems. Votes were taken either by majority (with votes allocated according to population) or unanimity. In these various forms they share some legislative and budgetary power of the Parliament.<ref name="Europa Institutions Council"/> Since the 1960s the council also began to meet informally at the level of heads of government and heads of state; these [[European Council|European summits]] followed the same presidency system and secretariat as the council but was not a formal formation of it.

===Commission===
The [[European Commission|Commission of the European Communities]] was the [[Executive (government)|executive arm]] of the community, drafting [[European Union law|Community law]], dealing with the day to running of the Community and upholding the [[Treaties of the European Union|treaties]]. It was designed to be independent, representing the interest of the Community as a whole. Every member state submitted one commissioner (two from each of the larger states, one from the smaller states). One of its members was the [[President of the European Commission|President]], appointed by the council, who chaired the body and represented it.

===Parliament===
[[File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F023908-0002, Straßburg, Tagung des Europarates.jpg|thumb|The [[European Parliament]] held its first elections in 1979, slowly gaining more influence over Community decision making.]]
Under the Community, the [[European Parliament]] (formerly the European Parliamentary Assembly) had an advisory role to the Council and Commission. There were a number of [[European Union legislative procedure|Community legislative procedures]], at first there was only the [[consultation procedure]], which meant Parliament had to be consulted, although it was often ignored.<ref>{{Cite web|date=29 May 2019|title=Europeans used to ignore their parliament. Not any longer {{!}} Caroline de Gruyter|url=http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/29/europeans-parliament-young-people-eu|access-date=31 August 2022|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Sebald|first=Christoph|date=31 August 2022|title=The European Parliament needs independence and a strong voice|url=https://www.thenewfederalist.eu/The-European-Parliament-needs-independence-and-a-strong-voice,05603|access-date=31 August 2022|website=The New Federalist|language=en}}</ref> The [[Single European Act]] gave Parliament more power, with the [[assent procedure]] giving it a right to veto proposals and the [[cooperation procedure]] giving it equal power with the Council if the council was not unanimous.

In 1970 and 1975, the [[Budgetary treaties of the European Communities|Budgetary treaties]] gave Parliament power over the [[Budget of the European Union|Community budget]]. The Parliament's members, up-until 1980 were national MPs serving part-time in the Parliament. The Treaties of Rome had required elections to be held once the council had decided on a voting system, but this did not happen and elections were delayed until 1979 (see [[1979 European Parliament election]]). After that, Parliament was elected every five years. In the following 20 years, it gradually won co-decision powers with the Council over the adoption of legislation, the right to approve or reject the appointment of the Commission President and the commission as a whole, and the right to approve or reject international agreements entered into by the Community.

===Court===
The [[European Court of Justice|Court of Justice of the European Communities]] was the [[supreme court|highest court]] of on matters of [[Law of the European Union|Community law]] and was composed of one judge per state with a president elected from among them. Its role was to ensure that Community law was applied in the same way across all states and to settle legal disputes between institutions or states. It became a powerful institution as Community law overrides national law.

===Auditors===
The fifth institution is the ''[[European Court of Auditors]]''. Its ensured that [[taxpayer]] funds from the [[budget of the European Union|Community budget]] had been correctly spent by the Community's institutions. The ECA provided an [[Auditor's report|audit report]] for each financial year to the Council and Parliament and gave opinions and proposals on financial legislation and anti-fraud actions. It is the only institution not mentioned in the original treaties, having been set up in 1975.<ref name="Europa Institutions Auditors">{{Cite web|title=Institutions: Court of Auditors|publisher=[[Europa (web portal)]]|url=http://europa.eu/institutions/inst/auditors/index_en.htm|access-date=25 June 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222001147/http://europa.eu/institutions/inst/auditors/index_en.htm|archive-date=22 December 2009}}</ref>

==Policy areas==
{{Further|Three pillars of the European Union}}
At the time of its abolition, the European Community pillar covered the following areas;<ref name="Folk"/>
{|
|-
| valign=top |
* [[Right of asylum|Asylum policy]]
* [[Border control]]
* [[Common Agricultural Policy]]
* [[Common Fisheries Policy]]
* [[European Community competition law|Competition]]
* [[Consumer protection]]
* [[Customs union]] and [[Single market]]
| valign=top |
* [[Economic and monetary union]]
* Education and Culture
* Employment
* [[Environmental law]]
* [[European Union citizenship|EU Citizenship]]
* Healthcare
| valign=top |
* [[Border control#Immigration law and policy|Immigration policy]]
* Research
* [[Schengen Agreement|Schengen treaty]]
* [[Social policy]]
* [[International trade|Trade policy]]
* [[Trans-European Networks]]
|}

==See also==
* [[Economy of the European Union]]
* [[Brussels and the European Union]]
* [[Delors Commission]]
* [[European Commission]]
* [[European Customs Information Portal]]
* [[European institutions in Strasbourg]]
* [[History of the European Communities (1958–1972)]]
* [[History of the European Communities (1973–1993)]]
* [[Institutional seats of the European Union]]
* [[Snake in the tunnel]]

==EU evolution timeline==
{{EU evolution timeline}}

== Notes ==
{{NoteFoot}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* [[Nicola Acocella|Acocella, Nicola]] (1992), {{'}}''Trade and direct investment within the EC: The impact of strategic considerations''{{'}}, in: Cantwell, John (ed.), {{'}}''Multinational investment in modern Europe''{{'}}, E. Elgar, Cheltenham, {{ISBN|978-1-8527-8421-8}}.
* Balassa, Bela (1962). ''The Theory of Economic Integration''.
* {{cite encyclopedia|last1=Eichengreen|first1=Barry|author-link=Barry Eichengreen|editor=David R. Henderson|editor-link=David R. Henderson|encyclopedia=[[Concise Encyclopedia of Economics]]|title=European Economic Community|url=http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc1/EuropeanEconomicCommunity.html|year=1992|edition=1st|publisher=[[Library of Economics and Liberty]]}} {{OCLC|317650570|50016270|163149563}}
* Etzioni, Amitai. 1964. "European Unification: A Strategy of Change". ''World Politics'' 16(1): 32–51.
* Hallstein, Walter (1962). ''A New Path to Peaceful Union''.
* Milward, Alan S. (1992). ''The European Rescue of the Nation-State''.
* Moravcsik, Andrew (1998). ''The Choice for Europe. Social Purpose and State Power from Messina to Maastricht'', {{ISBN|978-0-8014-8509-1}}.
* Ludlow, N. Piers (2006). ''The European Community and the Crises of the 1960s. Negotiating the Gaullist Challenge'', {{ISBN|9780415459570}}.
* Warlouzet, Laurent (2018). ''Governing Europe in a Globalizing World. Neoliberalism and its Alternatives following the 1973 Oil Crisis'', {{ISBN|9781138729421}}.

===Primary sources===
* Bliss, Howard, ed. ''The political development of the European Community: a documentary collection'' (Blaisdell, 1969).
* Monnet, Jean. ''Prospect for a New Europe'' (1959).
* Schuman, Robert. ''French Policy towards Germany since the war'' (Oxford University Press, 1954).
* Spaak, Paul-Henri. ''The Continuing Battle: Memories of a European'' (1971).{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|European Economic Community}}
*[https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/legislativescrutiny/parliament-and-europe/overview/britain-and-eec-to-single-european-act/ EEC on the UK Parliament website]
* [http://europa.eu/index_en.htm European Union website]
* [http://archives.eui.eu/en/fonds/ Documents] of the European Economic Community are consultable at the [http://www.eui.eu/Research/HistoricalArchivesOfEU/Index.aspx Historical Archives of the EU] in Florence
* [http://www.cvce.eu/obj/treaty_establishing_the_european_economic_community_rome_25_march_1957-en-cca6ba28-0bf3-4ce6-8a76-6b0b3252696e.html Treaty establishing the European Economic Community] on CVCE website
* [http://www.cvce.eu/recherche/unit-content/-/unit/3cb9e142-6ac4-4184-8794-fc3cf619cf33 History of the Rome Treaties] on CVCE website
* [http://eisenhower.archives.gov/Research/Finding_Aids/S.html Papers of J. Robert Schaetzel, ambassador to European Economic Community, 1966–1972, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library]
* [http://ec.europa.eu/ecip/index_en.htm European Customs Information Portal (ECIP)]
*[https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/history_en The history of the European Union]

{{Orders, decorations, and medals of the European Union}}
{{European Union topics}}
{{free trade agreements of the United Kingdom}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:European Economic Community| ]]
[[Category:History of the European Union]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1958]]
[[Category:Organizations disestablished in 1993]]
[[Category:Former international organizations]]
[[Category:1958 establishments in Europe]]
[[Category:1993 disestablishments in Europe]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1958]]