Origins of the European Community 1945-57

  • UN Economic Commission for Europe

    UN establishes Economic Commission for Europe to promote economic cooperation. Initial members are: Belarus, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Belarus, Denmark, France, Greece, Holland, Iceland, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
  • Benelux Customs Union

    Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg establish a trade union.
  • Treaty of Brussels

    The Treaty of Brussels establishes an organization between the UK, France, Holland, Luxembourg, and Belgium for mutual military defense.
  • Organization for European Economic Cooperation formed to help distribute Marshall Aid

    The Organization for European Economic Cooperation was formed to help carry out the Marshall Plan. Its initial members are "Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, and Western Germany ... The Anglo-American zone of the Free Territory of Trieste was also a participant in the OEEC until it returned to Italian sovereignty."
  • UN Economic Commission for Europe Adds More Members

    UN Economic Commission adds: Italy, Ireland, Hungary, Finland, Austria, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Portugal, and Spain to its membership.