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Basic Course 2: Analysis of the Integration Process (I): From the ECSC to the Treaty of Maastricht
Objectives and Guiding Questions
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Taking a long-term view as a pre-condition of understanding the EU |
The fact that two of the five Basic Courses in this Main Subject Group (Basic Course 2 and 3) deal with the development and history of the EU and two others (Basic Course 4 and in particular Basic Course 5 on expansion) also take a rather long-term perspective might give the impression that the author is being led by a particular interest in history and, worse still, might even lead some to fear that modern day events and relevence have been neglected. It would be wrong to get this impression.
Indeed, the core objective of this entire Main Subject Group was to provide a fundamentally independent understanding of the EU that makes it possible to identify, understand and assess future developments, as well as to understand the developments that have taken place in the EU up until October 2005. Yet to gain a truly independent understanding it is absolutely essential to acquire a long-term perspective of the EU as an institution that is constantly changing. Only by gaining an understanding of the past is it possible to identify the key determinants that will help to explain the progress and crises of the past, present and future. And it is for this reason that the title of Basic Courses 2 and 3 is "Analysis of the Integration Process" rather than "History of the EU".
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Main questions for the analysis |
This analysis begins by identifying the fundamental questions associated with the process of integration. So, what are the fundamental questions that have shaped the development of the EU? Undoubtedly, one of the most fundamental questions is that of how national states, which were still waging war against each other only a few years ago, managed to establish a system of close cooperation and, indeed, even managed to introduce a common currency! This will be our guiding question. [Back to top of page]
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The way Basic Courses 2 and 3 are structured |
How will we set out to achieve these objectives? Instead of limiting ourselves to detailing the main facts and events that have helped to shape an integration process that has been going on for 55 years, our main focus will be on addressing and drawing attention to the main issues and possible answers with regard to cause and effects. As well as preparing each of the integration stages from an analytical point of view, I have also included individual sections - over and above the chronology - in Basic Courses 2 and 3 that are especially dedicated to analysing the main determining factors.
This includes an overview of the entire development process to date in the form of four graphic illustrations (Overview). The idea is to highlight several of the most important issues. Other sections dedicated to analysing the determining factors include the interim appraisal at the end of Basic Course 2 and most especially the comprehensive concluding section in Basic Course 3, which sets out to analyse the background and the consequences of the "No" votes delivered at the end of the referendums in France and the Netherlands in 2005. Basic courses 2 and 3 are structured in the following way: |
The way Basic Courses 2 and 3 are structured:
Basic Course 2: Analysis of the Integration process (I) — from the ECSC to the Treaty of Maastricht
 | Overview:An overall view of the integration process 1951-2005 - developments and problems |
| Stage 1: From the end of the Second World War to the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) |
| Stage 2: From the ECSC to the foundation of the European Economic Community (EEC) |
| Stage 3: From the EEC to the Single European Act (SEA) |
| Stage 4: From the EEA to the foundation of the European Union
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| Interim appraisal: Determining factors and development model of the integration process |
Basic Course 3: Analysis of the integration process (II) - from the Treaty of Amsterdam to the referendums in France and the Netherlands
| Stage 5: From the Treaty of Maastricht to the Treaty of Amsterdam |
| Stage 6: The Treaty of Nice |
| Stage 7: From the convention to the process of ratifying the constitution |
| Stage 8: Reasons and consequences of the "No" in France and the Netherlands |
| Summary: On the benefits of analysing the integration process |
[Author: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schumann]
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