European Community (EC)

European Community (EC)

Key takeaways
* The European Community (EC) was an economic and political association formed to promote integration and prevent conflict in post‑World War II Europe.
* It comprised three treaty-based organizations: the European Economic Community (EEC), the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).
* Six founding members—Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands—signed the founding treaties in the 1950s.
* The EC’s institutions and competences were incorporated into the European Union when the Maastricht Treaty took effect in 1993.

Overview
The European Community was created to unite European countries economically and politically so trade barriers could be removed, economies could integrate, and the risk of future interstate conflict would be reduced. It grew out of immediate postwar efforts to bind former adversaries together through common institutions and shared interests.

Formation and purpose
Founding agreements in the 1950s established three complementary communities:
* To foster cross‑border trade and a common market.
* To coordinate policies affecting key industries and resources.
* To promote peaceful cooperation and reconciliation—most notably between France and Germany.

The three communities
European Economic Community (EEC)
* Established by the Treaty of Rome to create a common market and harmonize economic policy.
* Aimed to eliminate tariffs and other trade barriers, facilitate the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people, and coordinate policies such as agriculture (Common Agricultural Policy).

European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)
* Focused on integrating coal and steel industries across member states to prevent unilateral armament and to create a single market for those commodities.
* Set common rules on production, pricing and quotas; later shifted toward restructuring and competitiveness as global markets evolved.

European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom)
* Created to coordinate research, trade in nuclear materials and equipment, and health and safety standards for civilian nuclear energy.
* Focused on peaceful uses of atomic energy rather than military applications.

Transition into the European Union
The arrangements and institutions developed under the EC provided the foundation for deeper political and economic integration. The Maastricht Treaty consolidated these structures, transforming the EC into a pillar of the newly formed European Union in 1993. Over time the EU expanded to include many more member states and to develop broader competences beyond the original economic remit.

Membership and later developments
The EC began with six founding members and expanded over decades as more European countries joined the common market and its successor, the EU. Notable later developments include successive enlargements and the United Kingdom’s 2016 referendum decision to leave the EU; the UK’s withdrawal was completed in January 2020.

Legacy
The European Community established the legal and institutional framework for European integration: a common market, supranational institutions, and policy coordination mechanisms. Its legacy persists in the European Union’s single market, regulatory convergence, and the overarching goal of maintaining peace and cooperation in Europe.

Sources (selected)
* Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (Treaty of Rome)
* Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community
* Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom)
* Treaty on European Union (Maastricht Treaty)
* European Union — overview of member countries and institutional history