Schumann Declaration

Robert Schuman in 1949.

The Schuman Declaration is the title given to the speech delivered by Robert Schuman, French Foreign Minister, on May 9, 1950. The declaration proposes that a united Europe can contribute to world peace, through concrete achievements. The European Commission recognizes this declaration as the birth of the European Union (EU), by proposing that coal and steel from Germany (that is, from the Federal Republic Germany) and France (and the other acceding countries) under joint administration.

At the 1985 Milan Summit, the European Council decided to declare 9 May Europe Day in commemoration of that speech.

History

After the Second World War and the atrocities that were discovered had been committed during its course, formulas were sought to avoid a repeat of a war in Europe.

Germany, which had been defeated in the conflict, found its territory militarily occupied by the allied armies, among which were the American and British, as well as the French.

The project to unite the production of coal and steel in France and Germany under a common high authority open to other European states was elaborated in secret, without informing the traditional ministerial circuits, during the month of April 1950 by Jean Monnet, general commissioner of the French government's modernization and equipment plan, with the collaboration of his deputy Étienne Hirsch, the economics expert Pierre Uri and Paul Reuter, professor of international law.

Jean Monnet forwarded it to Robert Schuman, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who, after studying it over the weekend, gave it his go-ahead. So Monnet and Schuman sought to unveil the plan to the public in spectacular fashion before entering negotiations in which the plan risked stalling.

On the morning of May 9, a member of Schuman's cabinet handed German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer a letter informing him of the French project, which the German leader welcomed enthusiastically. Meanwhile, in Paris, Schuman gets the support of the Council of Ministers.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Building Quai d'Orsaylocated near the Alexander III Bridge (Paris), where the declaration took place.

The British, Italian, Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg governments are informed of the imminence of a French initiative. The same thing happened with the United States government. They all showed their agreement. The representatives of the national and foreign press are summoned at 6:00 p.m. in the Quai d'Orsay Clock Room (Paris). Schuman delivered the speech for him, Monnet was sitting to the right of him.

Watch Room (Salon de l'Horloge); from behind to the Schuman chimney delivered the speech.

Schuman was due to travel to London that night, which helped him dodge questions from reporters. For his part, Monnet was in charge of convincing the major editorialists of the political content of the plan. The irony of the story, the photographers and the radio were not informed of the meeting, the ministry had to lend itself several months later for a reconstruction of the scene.

That day the European community was born, currently embodied in the European Union.

The declaration ended up being embodied in the Treaty of Paris, signed on April 18, 1951, which created the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), signed not only by France and Germany but also by four other countries: Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

Content

In his speech, Schuman proposed the creation of a Franco-German community to jointly exploit the coal and steel of the two countries. Once in operation, the community would be extended to other European countries to form a space for the free movement of people, goods and capital. This crossed system of interests would avoid the possibility of a new war.

The bases on which Schuman expressed the offer of the French Government for the constitution of this community were the following:

• Creation of a High Authority whose decisions would compel countries to join the community.

• La High Authority I would aim to:
  • Modernization of coal and steel production
  • Increased quality.
  • The supply of coal and steel in identical conditions both to France and Germany, as well as to the countries that adhere.
  • The development of a common export system towards other non-member countries.
  • Improvement and equalization of the conditions of workers in both industries.

• An immediate release of the tariffs of both products in the countries of the community.