The foundation of the European Community

West Germany signs the Treaty of Rome

In an effort to secure peace through joint control of the means of waging war, France, Italy, the Benelux countries and West Germany set up the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951. Later measures of cooperation sought to stimulate economic growth by establishing financial stability and promoting trade. One significant step towards this goal was the European Common Market.

Peace and prosperity was to be crowned by political union, and the six ECSC states signed the Treaty of Rome on 25 March 1957. This was followed by the EURATOM Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community; the EEC Treaty establishing the European Economic Community; and further agreements establishing other shared institutions. This process involved the pooling of aspects of German sovereignty with those of other members of the European Community, and it laid the foundations for the subsequent development of the European Union.