Treaty of Rome

Setting the scene

The Treaty of Rome was signed on March 25, 1957, by six nations—France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg—creating the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). The treaty was signed at the Palazzo dei Conservatori on Rome's Capitoline Hill. It came into force January 1, 1958, establishing a common market with free movement of goods, services, capital, and labor.

What happened

The treaty was the culmination of postwar European integration efforts, following the European Coal and Steel Community (1951). The EEC's founders, including Jean Monnet and Robert Schuman, sought to prevent future wars by economically integrating France and Germany. The treaty created supranational institutions—a Commission, Council of Ministers, European Parliament, and Court of Justice—that could make binding decisions on member states.

Why it still matters

The Treaty of Rome laid the foundation for the European Union. The EEC grew from six to 27 members, evolving through the Single European Act (1986), Maastricht Treaty (1992) creating the EU, and the euro currency (1999). The treaty demonstrated that economic integration could achieve political goals—peace and prosperity—and created the world's largest single market. March 25 is celebrated as Europe Day. The Treaty of Rome remains the constitutional basis of the EU, representing the most successful peace project in modern history.

Background

It was a precursor to the European Union.