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On 25th March 1957 during a solemn ceremony in the ‘Orazi e Curiazi hall’ of Palazzo dei Conservatori in Campidoglio, 6 countries: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Federal Republic of Germany signed the Treaties of Rome creating the Euratom and the European Economic Community (EEC). The EEC Treaty established a common market among the signatory Countries based on the "four freedoms", namely the free movement of persons, services, goods and capital; a custom union that abolished quotas and custom duties between the Member States; common policies, such as the common agricultural policy, common trade policy and transport policy. Transforming the conditions of trade and manufacture on the territory of the Community, the common market aimed to establish the basis for an homogenous growth of the Member State that would have gradually led to an economic, monetary and ultimately, political unity of Europe. The Preamble of the Treaty declares that the 6 Countries ‘Have decided to create a European Economic Community’ because ‘Determined to lay the foundations of an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe’ and ‘Resolved to ensure the economic and social progress of their countries by common action to eliminate the barriers which divide Europe’ According to the principles enshrined in the Treaty of Rome steady economic development of the European Countries could not be achieved without promoting a high level of employment and of social protection, the raising of the standard of living and quality of life for people of Europe.
In line with this spirit, the Treaty of Rome established the European Social Fund (ESF), the longest running Structural Fund, to improve job opportunities in the Community by promoting employment and increasing the geographical and occupational mobility of workers.
The Treaty of Rome also created the institutions of the EEC that were and still are the Council of Ministers, the Commission and the Parliament Assembly.
Since its establishment, the Treaty of Rome has been amended by several later Treaties that enlarged the European Union and developed the principles and the Institutions set up in 1957. All the Treaties have now been consolidated into one single text: the Treaty that introduced a Constitution for Europe signed on 29th October 2004 in the same hall in Campidoglio in Rome where almost 50 years before the European Community was born.
In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the initial Treaty a special logo has been developed which can be downloaded from this website and from the Commission 50th Anniversary website. |