|
FOREIGN OFFICE FILES FOR POST-WAR EUROPE
Series One: The Schuman Plan and the European Coal and Steel Community
Part 1: 1950-1953
Part 2: 1954-1955
Part 3: 1956-1957
Brief Chronology: 1950-1958
1950
MAY
Robert Schuman first proposes his plan to pool European coal and steel resouces
JUNE
France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg begin negotiations on establishment of European Coal and Steel Community
1951
APRIL
The Treaty of Paris is signed by the ‘Six’ (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and Netherlands) formally establishing the ECSC
1952
FEBRUARY
King George V dies and is succeeded by Elizabeth II
Dwight Eisenhower becomes US President
MAY
European Defence Community treaty signed by the ‘Six’
AUGUST
ECSC ratified by the six signatories of the Treaty of Paris
SEPTEMBER
First meeting of the High Authority of teh ECSC
1953
MARCH
Stalin dies, replaced as Soviet Premier by Malenkov
JUNE
Guiseppe Pella succeeds Italian Prime Minister Alcide De Gasperi
DECEMBER
René Coty replaces Vincent Auriol as French President
1954
MAY
French surrender at Dien Bien Phu
JUNE
Pierre Mendès-France replaces Laniel as French Premier
Soviet Union rejects re-unification of Germany at meeting of Foreign Ministers at Berlin
AUGUST
French National Assembly fails to ratify EDC treaty, leading to its collapse, and dealing a blow to the cause of European integration
OCTOBER
Western European Union treaty signed
DECEMBER
Britain and European Coal and Steel Community form a limited association
1955
JANUARY
Soviet Union recognises West Germany
FEBRUARY
Mendès-France’s administration falls, replaced by Edgar Faure
Malenkov resigns as Soviet Premier and is replaced by Nikolay Bulganin
APRIL
Churchill resigns as British Prime Minister and is replaced by Anthony Eden
MAY
West Germany joins NATO
Warsaw Pact signed
Conservative Party, under Eden, wins general election.
JUNE
Monnet resigns as President of the High Authority of ECSC; and is succeeded by René Mayer
At the Messina Conference in Italy, the Six agree to aim for further European economic integration
Austria and West Germany regain full sovereignty
OCTOBER
Referendum in the Saar shows overwhelming support for re-integration with West Germany
1956
MARCH
High Authority deceides to abolish maxmimum coal prices
MAY
Spaak Report approved
Elimination of remaining frontier charges in movement by rail of coal and iron ore within the ECSC
Occupation of Hungary by Soviet forces
OCTOBER
Visit to High Authority by representatives of the Iron and Steel Board and the UK steel industry
NOVEMBER
British and French forces invade Egypt to secure the Suez Canal
High Authority issues memorandum on the ECSC’s general objectives
Eisenhower re-elected US President
1957
JANUARY
The Saar region becomes a state of the Federal Republic of Germany
Eden resigns as British Prime Minister and is replaced by Harold Macmillan
FEBRUARY
Britain proposes the European Free Trade Association
MARCH
Treaties of Rome establish the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom)
Eisenhower and Macmillan hold talks at the Bermuda Conference
1958
JANUARY
Treaty of Rome enters into force
MARCH
Schuman elected President of the European Parliamentary Assembly
JUNE
Charles de Gaulle replaces René Coty as French President
JULY
Stresa Conference lays the basis for the Common Agricultural Policy
<back
|
| 
| 
