Europe’s First Constitution: The European Political Community, 1952-1954

Abstract:

This book rediscovers the history of the draft European Political Community (EPC) treaty that was completed in March 1953 but abandoned by the governments of the six founding members of the ECSC and the EEC eighteen months later. It represents the first comprehensive study on Europe's first constitution drawing on the archives of all the participating states. The EPC episode involved discussions of joint defence policy, the framework for future economic integration, foreign policy coordination and the democratisation of European institutions.

The book draws a range of parallels between the situation today, when an overburdened European Union is ill-equipped for the challenge of accepting new members, and the situation of the early 1950s. The challenges then resemble those faced today and the arguments employed at that time for and against closer integration were similar to those employed fifty years later.

In particular the author concentrates on the following problem areas and parallels: Europe's incapacity to act; the democratic deficit; diversity of interests; ensuring prosperity; and foreign and security policy.

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