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Summary European Politics summery

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Structured study summary on European integration, covering EU history, institutions, the single market, the euro, enlargement, crises, and Brexit. Ideal for exams.

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December 23, 2025
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1.Why is there no European army yet?

Paul-Henri Spaak: Belgian Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
- doesn’t want to join NATO
- Comes to the conclusion that the contradictions between the US and the SU are
irreconcilable and that everyone needs to pick a side
= this leads to the ‘Nous avons peur’ speech

1.1 The Cold War:
Before the speech = people had growing hope for more constructive international
cooperation
October 1943: Ministers of foreign Affairs of the US, SU, and the UK and
the Chinese ambassador to the SU gather in Moscow.
= they want a new international organization based on sovereign equality
= the Allies lay the basis for this international organization = United
Nations (UN)

Yalta conference (February 1945): Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill gather.
- Stalin confirms that SU participation is essential for the succes of the UN
- 25/04/1945 50 counties formally establish the UN
- 5 permanent members: China, France, UK, SU and US (they had veto-rights)

WWII planted the seeds for the Cold War:
explanation: During the war Stalin felt like the US and the UK held of for too long on
opening a Western Front against Hitler. While the SU had already been in direct
confrontation with Hitler. This pressure Germany had on the SU alleviated with the
landing of a Western front on the beaches of Normandy. This leads to Stalin’s
distrust of the western motives.
= the west feels like they are being double-crossed

April 1949: 12 western counties meetin the White House = Truman establishes the
NATO by signing the Treaty of Washington
- first signatures: BE, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, NL,
Norway, Portugal, UK and US

= Now Moscow feels completely surrounded by by the US and their Allies.
= they create the Warsaw Pact in 1955
= the iron curtain

1.2 Pan-Europa:
After WWI people wanted a more peaceful Europe.
= idea of European unification (viewpoint that existed before the rise of
nationalism)
- the nation state alone in under-equipped to tackle the current issues
- Leads to The Revolt of the Masses
- From economic perspective: Europe’s to remain competitive with the SU and US
= Pan-European movement in 1923 (European counties join forces through
economic cooperation)

Astride Briand and Frank Kellogg make the Kellogg-Briand Pact = peaceful solutions
instead of war

1.3 French-German rapprochement:
The holocaust left a heavy mark. Europe is at rock bottom. And the relationship
between France and Germany is extremely delicate after WWII.
They convene on neutral territory: Swiss city of Geneva

1

,- meeting with future Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, French Christian Democrats and
Robert Schuman’s fellow party members
- They create the federate Nouvelles Equipes Internationales in 1947
- Later results in the creation of the Liberal International and the Mouvement
Socialiste pour les Etats-Unis d’Europe
- However these organizations are fairly weak and spur-of the-moment
- Later they wil evolve in more structural and overarching networks
Churchill has a lot of authority because he was the leader of the only Western
European country that was not overrun by German forces
= he argues in favour of rapprochement between France and Germany
= he hopes to reintegrate west Germany into the European powers
(Churchill sees no role for the UK in this constellation)

1.4 Benelux as an example:
BE, NL and LUX have been working on an integration project of their own.
With:
- a uniform payment system
- Increased economic activities
- Unified tariff community
= established is September 1944 as an international organization
Becomes effective in 1948 and 10 years later the Benelux is transformed into an
Economic Union
= this leads to a lot of interest from abroad

Much of the significance of the Benelux for the European integration process lies in
its pioneering and exemplary role.

1.5 Marshall Plan:
After WWII Western Europe is vulnerable and ripe for the picking by Stalin’s red
army
= American banks have many outstanding loans to western Europe governments
(to be repaid in the long run)
American economy had to make a shift from war economy to a consumption-based
industry = meaning that a wealthy western Europe would be logical marketplace

Military Washington backs Europe via the NATO
- 1948 permanent character in OEEC
- US hoped this would lead to a political alliance

1.6 Council of Europe:
1948: Congress of Europe in The Hague
= Churchill says we need to take the Benelux as an example
Question: whether and if so how far they are willing to accept an overarching
authority for shared interest?
= creation of the council of Europe (after 4 days of negotiations)
= a year later it is formalized by the Treaty of London (1949)
= later they establish the European court of human rights
= the European convention of human rights is signed in 1950

1.7 Schuman declaration:
Jean Monnet proposes to have France and Germany collaborate in domains of coal
and steel
9 may 1950: Schuman declaration = supranational organization (by pooling their
sovereignty)
-
The German participation in the ECSC was the only solution to temper French
distrust
2

,This is also a chance for Italy to find partners on an equal footing

1952: establishment of the ECSC = overseen by
1. The high authority
2. A common assembly
3. A special counsel of ministers
4. A court of justice




1.8 Re-arming Germany:
SU has claimed East Germany while Berlin and Austria are still divided.
FR and UK become military allies in 1947 - a year later the Benelux countries join
= military alliance under the supervision of British Field Marshal Bernard
Montgomery
(Almost immediately becomes obsolete withe the establishment of NATO)

There is a growing realization that West Germany is the weak link of Europe = West
Germany should not wield an army of its own

1952= a treaty establishing the European Defense Community is ratified by the 6
ECSC member states
But 2 years later after Stalin’s death it is clear that France does not want Germany
in a military uniform, not even for a European army.


1.9 European defense:
Because of American protection there are no longer large initiatives for defense
integration

Mitterrand and Kohl create a Franco-German military brigade, they convince the
weakend Gorbachev that unified Germany should be part of NATO.

1992: FR and Germany establish Eurocorps - later BE, Spain and Lux join = treaty of
Maastricht in1993 WEU is now the military arm of the EU

1995: Eurofor (FR, ITL, Spain and Portugal)

2003: EDA = Europe defense agency - in 2004 10 counties join the EU = leads to
more urgency for a European army

2009: treaty of Lisbon: member states can request support when it has become the
victim of armed aggression on its own territory, the other member states are
obliged to provide assistance.

1.10 War in Europe:


3

, The role of the NATO remains crucial

Ukraine has erased taboos and spurred a notion of European defense = still there
remains a large gap between the uncertain European security environment ont the
one hand and the resources provided by the Strategic Compass on the other

States also lend their own military assistance to Ukraine

The leading European commission assumes and the intent and determination from
various member states o invest and cooperate extensively with each other




2. Why is the single market never fully realized?
25/03/1957 the treaties of Rome were signed (European economic Community =
EEC and the European Atomic Energy Community = Euratom)
2.1 Distrust:
1954: EDC fails = they decide to pursue with their first idea of integration: the field
of economy
The ECSC decided to coordinate their peaceful use of nuclear energy
Johan Willem Beyen (dutch minister of foreign policy)
- expansion and deepening of economic cooperation
- Starts a motion to establish a single market with supranational authority
- Turns to BE and LUX for support
- His proposal is well received
= the Benelux in May 1955
Soon they member.
observing are joint by 3 other member states and they invite the UK as an

UK: no enthusiasm, and it is the last of the meetings leading up to the creation of
the EEC that the UK will attend
FR: also has some disapproval


2.2 The Spaak Report:
Spaak presents his final report at an Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) in Venice.

- there is a growing political and economic appetite within the member states to
European integration

- Colonies are rebelling


4
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