European Community Essay Example

the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was founded in 1951 with six member countries: Belgium, West Germany, Luxembourg, France, Italy and the Netherlands.

The "High Authority", an independent, supranational entity led by Jean Monnet as its first President, was given the power to make decisions regarding the coal and steel industries in the countries involved. The success of the ECSC prompted these six nations to expand their integration efforts to encompass additional economic sectors. Although established in the 1950s, Britain did not participate in the ECSC at that time due to political and economic factors.

Both the British elite and electorate disregarded the supranational aspect of the Community and considered European affairs unimportant to the public. They feared that joining could damage Britain's strong trade relationships with Commonwealth nations. Despite being economically stronger than much of Europe during the late 1940s and early 1950s, integrating with unstable nations offered few benefits. Additionally, membership had potential risks for Britain's political connections with the United States.

As a rival to the European Economic Community, the United Kingdom formed its own European free trade area but opted not to participate. In 1959, Britain was one of eight nations that created the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) with the aim of opposing the EEC. The EFTA agreement removed tariffs on industrial goods between member states exclusively and did not implement a shared external tariff or cover agricultural products. Furthermore, members had the ability to withdraw at their discretion, rendering EFTA less impactful than the Common Market.

The reason for Britain's delayed participation in the European Communities can be traced back to the formation of the European Coal and Steel

Community (ECSC) in the 1950s. During this time, Clement Attlee's Labour government declined an invitation to join, resulting in significant consequences for Britain as they missed out on economic benefits. As their economy worsened and their global influence decreased, being excluded from such a crucial alliance became impossible to ignore. However, by 1961 it was clear that remaining outside of the EEC would lead to political and economic isolation, leaving Britain with little power in Europe. Negotiations for EEC membership began under the Conservative Macmillan government who submitted an application for membership in August of that year influenced by various factors.

One reason for Britain's decision to leave EFTA was that while EFTA was meeting its limited expectations, it was not sufficiently countering the increasing importance of the EEC. This was evident both in the progress being made within the EEC and in the trade relationships between individual EFTA states and the EEC. Countries such as Austria and Switzerland, along with Britain itself, were trading more with the EEC than with other EFTA countries. Additionally, given that the EEC was moving quickly towards a full customs union, Britain felt it was necessary to protect its vital trade with the Community.

If the UK remains outside the external tariffs wall of the EEC, it will not receive compensation from EFTA. Additionally, the British government is evaluating its declining role and influence in global politics, especially concerning the United States and Commonwealth. With the expansion of the Commonwealth after decolonization, it has become evident that although Britain remains a dominant trade partner with most ex-colonies, it cannot maintain the same level of exclusive trading advantages as before.