European Economic CommunityRegional organisation from 1958 to 1993 European Economic Community/European Community Danish:Europæiske Økonomiske FællesskabDutch:Europese Economische GemeenschapFrench:Communauté économique européenneGerman:Europäische WirtschaftsgemeinschaftGreek:Ευρωπαϊκή Οικονομική ΚοινότηταItalian:Comunità Economica EuropeaPortuguese:Comunidade Económica EuropeiaSpanish:Comunidad Económica Europea 1958–1993 Flag (1986)Anthem: "Ode to Joy" (orchestral) EEC in 1993StatusEconomic unionInstitutional seats Brussels Luxembourg Strasbourg² Largest cityLondonOfficial languages 9 (1993) Danish Dutch English French German Greek Italian Portuguese Spanish Commission President • 1958–1967 Walter Hallstein• 1967–1970 Jean Rey• 1970–1972 Franco Maria Malfatti• 1972–1973 Sicco Mansholt• 1973–1977 François-Xavier Ortoli• 1977–1981 Roy Jenkins• 1981–1985 Gaston Thorn• 1985–1993 Jacques Delors Legislature Council of Ministers European Parliament Historical eraCold War• Treaty signed 25 March 1957• Established 1 January 1958• European Communities 1 July 1967• Single market 1 January 1993• EEC becomes the European Community, one of the 3 European Communities constituting the I pillar of the EU 1 November 1993• Pillar abolished 1 December 2009 Currency 13 currencies EUA/ECU (accounting)Belgian francDanish kroneFrench francGerman markGreek drachmaIrish poundItalian liraLuxembourgish francDutch guilderPortuguese escudoSpanish pesetaPound sterling Succeeded by European Union Today part ofEuropean Union Greenland United Kingdom¹ The information in this infobox covers the EEC's time as an independent organisation.Euratom TreatyThe Euratom Treaty, officially the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, established the European Atomic Energy Community. It was signed on 25 March 1957 at the same time as the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (EEC Treaty). The Euratom Treaty is less well known because of the lower profile of the organisation that it founded.
European Coal and Steel Community1952–2002¹FlagFounding members of the ECSC: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West GermanyStatusInternational organizationCapitalNot applicable²Common languages11 (2002)³DanishDutchEnglishFinnishFrenchGermanGreekItalianPortugueseSpanishSwedishPresident of theHigh Authority (pre-Merger treaty)• 1952–1955 Jean Monnet• 1955–1958 René Mayer• 1958–1959 Paul Finet• 1959–1963 Piero Malvestiti• 1963–1967 Rinaldo Del BoInterim President of the High Authority (supervising the Merger)• 1967 Albert CoppéPresident of the European Commission (in its capacity as the High Authority post-Merger treaty)• 1967–1970 (first) Jean Rey• 1999–2002 (last) Romano ProdiHistorical eraCold War• Signing (Treaty of Paris) 18 April 1951• In force 23 July 1952• Merger1 July 1967• Treaty expired23 July 2002¹Today part ofEuropean UnionThe ECSC treaty expired in 2002, fifty years after it came into force, but its institutions were taken over in 1967 following the Merger Treaty.The political centres were Luxembourg and Strasbourg, later also Brussels.Initial founding languages, before the merger and subsequent enlargements, were Dutch, French, German and Italian.The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was a Europeanorganization created after World War II to integrate Europe's coal and steel industries into a single common market based on the principle of supranationalism which would be governed by the creation of a High Authority made up of appointed representatives from the member states who would not represent their national interest, but would take and make decisions in the general interests of the Community as a whole.
European UnionThe European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. A supranational union with a total area of 4,233,255 km2 (1,634,469 sq mi) and an estimated population of just under 452 million as of 2026, its member states generated a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of around €18.802 trillion in 2025, accounting for approximately one sixth of global economic output.
Merger TreatyThe Merger Treaty, also known as the Treaty of Brussels, was a European treaty which unified the executiveinstitutions of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the European Economic Community (EEC). The treaty was signed in Brussels on 8 April 1965 and came into force on 1 July 1967.
Nuclear powerPower generated from nuclear reactionsThe Leibstadt Nuclear Power Plant in SwitzerlandPer capita nuclear power productionNuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced by nuclear fission of uranium and plutonium in nuclear power plants.
European CommunitiesThe European Communities (EC) were three international organisations that were governed by the same set of institutions. These were the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom), and the European Economic Community (EEC), the last of which was renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993 by the Maastricht Treaty establishing the European Union.
Member state of the European UnionThe European Union (EU) is a supranational union of 27 member states that are party to the EU's founding treaties, and thereby subject to the privileges and obligations of membership. They have agreed by the treaties to share their own sovereignty through the institutions of the European Union in certain aspects of government.Institutions of the European UnionDecision-making bodies of the European UnionAlternative chart of the political system.
European ParliamentDirectly elected legislature of the European Union10th European ParliamentTypeTypeDe facto lower houseof bicameral legislatureTerm limitsNoneHistoryFounded10 September 1952; 74 years ago (1952-09-10)Preceded byCommon Assembly of the European Coal and Steel CommunityLeadershipPresidentRoberta Metsola, EPPsince 18 January 2022 First Vice-PresidentSabine Verheyen, EPPsince 16 July 2024 Secretary-General Alessandro Chiocchetti, Independentsince 1 January 2023 StructureSeats720Political groups EPP (185) S&D (138) PfE (85) ECR (84) Renew (78) Greens/EFA (49) The Left (44) ESN (27) NI (27) Vacant (1)Committees22BudgetsBudgetary ControlEconomic & Monetary AffairsEmployment & Social AffairsEnvironment, Public Health & Food SafetyIndustry, Research & EnergyInternal Market & Consumer ProtectionTransport & TourismRegional DevelopmentAgriculture & Rural DevelopmentFisheriesCulture & EducationLegal AffairsCivil Liberties, Justice & Home AffairsConstitutional AffairsWomen's Rights & Gender EqualityPetitionsForeign AffairsHuman RightsSecurity & DefenceDevelopmentInternational TradeLength of term5 yearsSalary€8,932.86 monthlyElectionsVoting systemChosen by member state.Systems include: Party list PRSTV in Ireland and Maltade factoFPTP/SMP(only in the German-speakingelectoral college in Belgium)First election7–10 June 1979Last election6–9 June 2024Next election2029MottoIn varietate concordia(United in diversity)Meeting placeLouise Weiss BuildingStrasbourg, FranceEspace LéopoldBrussels, BelgiumWebsiteeuroparl.europa.euConstitutionTreaties of the European UnionThe European Parliament (EP) is one of the two legislative bodies of the European Union (EU) and one of its seven institutions.
International organizationAn international organization, also known as an international institution or intergovernmental organization (IGO), is an association of states established by a treaty or other type of instrument governed by international law to pursue the common aim of its member states. An IGO possesses its own legal personality separate from its member states and can enter into legally binding agreements with other IGOs or with other states.
Ionizing radiationIonizing radiation warning symbolIonizing radiation, also spelled ionising radiation, consists of subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves that have enough energy per individual photon or particle to ionize atoms or molecules by detaching electrons from them. Some particles can travel up to 99% of the speed of light; their electromagnetic waves are on the high-energy portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
De facto and de jureDe facto (Latin: lit.'from fact') and de jure (lit.'from law') are contrasting concepts, used particularly within law and governance. De facto practices are those which exist in reality or effect, without explicit recognition by laws or other formal norms; de jure practices are recognized by laws or other formal norms, regardless of whether they exist in reality or effect.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.