The Treaty of Paris (formally the Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community) was signed on 18 April 1951 between France, Italy, West Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, establishing the

European Coal and Steel Community The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was a European organization created after World War II to regulate the coal and steel industries. It was formally established in 1951 by the Treaty of Paris, signed by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembo ...

(ECSC), which subsequently became part of the European Union. The treaty came into force on 23 July 1952 and expired on 23 July 2002, exactly fifty years after it came into effect. The treaty was intended to bring diplomatic and economic stability in western Europe after the Second World War. Some of the main enemies during the war were now sharing production of coal and

steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

, the key resources which previously had been central to the war effort. The Europe Declaration, issued by the representatives of the six nations, declared that the Treaty had given birth to ''Europe''. The Declaration emphasised that the supranational principle was the foundation of the new democratic organisation of Europe. The supranational concept was opposed by Charles de Gaulle.

EU evolution timeline

External links

Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community
on Eur-Lex
Treaties overview on EUR-Lex

on CVCE.eu

{{DEFAULTSORT:Treaty Of Paris (1951) Terminated or expired founding treaties of the European Union Treaties concluded in 1951 Treaties entered into force in 1952 1951 in the European Economic Community 1952 in the European Economic Community 1951 in Paris April 1951 events in Europe Euro