Schuman Declaration

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Robert Schuman delivering his speech in 1950
Robert Schuman delivering his speech in 1950

The Schuman Declaration is the name of the May 9, 1950 public appeal by Robert Schuman, French Foreign Minister, to place France's and West Germany's coal and steel industries under joint management. Inspired by Jean Monnet, the declaration's goal was for France, West Germany, and the Benelux countries to share strategic resources in order to eliminate sources of mutual friction and build a lasting peace in Europe. The ultimate outcome of this initiative was the 1951 creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), first of the European Communities and predecessor of the European Union.

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[edit] Historical context

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The Schuman Declaration marked the true beginning of post-World War II Franco-German cooperation and the re-integration of West Germany into Western Europe. Konrad Adenauer, Chancellor of West Germany, said of the declaration, "That's our breakthrough."[1]

The Quai d'Orsay, home of the French Foreign Office where the speech was made
The Quai d'Orsay, home of the French Foreign Office where the speech was made

The resulting ECSC introduced a common free steel and coal market, with freely set market prices, and without import/export duties or subsidies. However, a transition period allowed the different economies to reach this situation over about one year.

In particular, the declaration specifies the creation of a higher authority independent of the national governments. It also mentions the prospect of a European federation: "Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity."

In 1985, during a period when the president of the European Commission was a Frenchman, Jacques Delors, the Milan Summit of European Union leaders chose to commemorate this event by marking May 9 as the EU-sponsored Europe Day (the Council of Europe sponsored Europe day is May 5). The EC viewed the Declaration as the formative event of the European project: "the first Europe Day was celebrated on 9 May, the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration. The centenary of the birth of Jean Monnet, another of the founding fathers of Europe, which is being celebrated this year, is a similar affirmation of our common history."[2]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Judt (1994), 31.
  2. ^ Shore and Black (1992), 11. Shore (1993), 789 ff. 22 incorrectly dates the declaration to 1952, and conflates it with the Treaty of Paris, which though negotiated in 1951 came into effect in 1952.

[edit] References

  • Judt, Tony. Große Illusion Europa. München: Hanser, 1994.
  • McDougall, Walter. "Political Economy versus National Sovereignty: French Structures for German Economic Integration after Versailles." The Journal of Modern History 51, no. 1. (Mar., 1979): 4-23.
  • Shore, Cris. "Inventing the 'People's Europe': Critical Approaches to European Community 'Cultural Policy.'" Man 28, no. 4. (Dec., 1993): 779-800.
  • Shore, Cris and Annabel Black. "The European Communities and the Construction of Europe." Anthropology Today 8, no. 3. (Jun., 1992): 10-11.

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