Summary Timeline of all the events one must know for the exam

1940s
● 1945 - End of WW2
○ European states needed integration to restore them economically and prevent
further conflict
○ US and USSR arose as bipolar superpowers
● 1945 - Bretton Woods System
○ Tied European exchange rates to US dollar that was tied to gold
○ Later replaced by Snake in the Tunnel system in 1970s
● 1948 - Marshall Plan
○ US aid distributed to European countries to help restore their economies
○ Created first intergovernmental organization for European economic cooperation
○ Motivations for US:
■ Political - to restore economies so people would not be receptive to
spread of Communism
■ Economic - would give US a greater market for their exports
● 1949 - Council of Europe in Strasbourg
○ Federalists had called for Council of Europe to create basis for federalist
European institution
○ UK rejected this
○ Failed attempt to create a European federalist state all at once

1950s
● 1950 - Schuman Declaration
○ Said Europe would not be made all at once through a single plan, it would be
built over time
○ Proposed French and German cooperation in ECSC to prevent future conflict
through interdependence
○ Convinced that supranational cooperation in a limited ‘unpolitical’ area would lead
to closer union in the future
■ Functionalism
○ Was in essence a peace plan, so very politically motivated
● 1952 - European Coal and Steel Community Created
○ 1st international organization to be based on supranational authority
○ Institutions included:
■ Supranational High Authority (precursor to EC)
■ Supranational Parliamentary Assembly
■ Intergovernmental council
○ France wanted access to German resources
○ Political motivations were preventing war between France and Germany
● 1955 - EDC and EPC plans pushed aside
○ Failed plan for European superstate
○ France refused signing the EDC because they didn’t want to give up national
sovereignty

, ○ European countries wanted to keep US forces in Europe so they wouldn’t have to
fund their own forces
● 1957 - Treaty of Rome
○ Created the EEC and Euratom
○ Supranational pillar
○ Functionalist, focused on the economy
■ First phase of treaties, not focused on deepening political integration
directly
○ Made up first pillar of the Maastricht Treaty (1992)
● 1957 - EEC established
○ Economic union between 6 member states
○ Aimed to bring economic integration including common market
■ Destroying trade barriers
■ Made a European customs union
○ Agricultural policy supported the French
○ The Dutch needed to focus on European market after loss of the colonies
○ Had broader influence, but more intergovernmental institution than the ECSC
○ Following functionalist plan
○ Has been seen as the revival of the nation state, as it offered economic
prosperity to states that could use this to offer welfare and gain more support
from the people

1960s
● 1960 - EFTA
○ Led by the British
■ Not interested in EEC because of relationship with the colonies and
America
○ More Intergovernmental approach to economic integration
○ Included countries not apart of the EEC e.g. Switzerland, Norway
○ Relative failure in gaining economic growth and global influence
■ UK then applied to join EEC in 1961, but blocked by de Gaulle
● 1963 - De Gaulle Vetoes UKs application to accession into the EEC
○ De Gaulle wanted to ensure CAP was passed in a way that would benefit them,
knowing the UK would not support agricultural plans
○ Angered the other member states
● 1965-6 - Empty Chair Crisis
○ Dispute over whether or not the EEC should become more supranational
■ De Gaulle wanted intergovernmentalism
○ EC was overreaching in their proposal for european taxation
○ France’s representatives refused to show at the institutions
○ De Gaulle was forced back into negotiations with the EEC because of pressures
from the farmers in France
○ Resulted in Luxembourg Compromise