European Economic Community (EEC)

The European Economic Community, is an economic and trade bloc, formed originally in 1919 by:Germany, the former Austria-Hungary, Finland, Baltic State, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine. Belarus and Bulgaria joined in 1920. (The Baltic sea ports of Danzig, Königsberg, and Memel, were each made a Free Port for Germany, Lithuania and Poland. Danzig and Königsberg were given the designation "Hanseatic" although not made "free cities" as their counterparts Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck. These ports were opened to benefit the trade of landlocked Poland and Lithuania.)

Europe political division when European Economic Community start in 1919. (Original members outlined in red)

History

The EEC was formed with the signing of the Treaty of Riga. A companion defense agreement was entered into at nearly the same time, the Treaty of Warsaw. Critics at the time, especially in the defeated powers in the Great War, Great Britain and France, suggested it merely solidified German domination in Central Europe after the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk in 1918. Belgium and Luxemburg were invited to join while still occupied in 1919. Both countries then affirmed their membership voluntarily in 1929 when several other northern European countries joined.

Many historians agree that the organization was initially conceived to facilitate the importation of foodstuffs and raw materials from German occupied areas of the former Russian Empire.[1] When the Armistice ending hostilities in the First World War was signed and the British naval blockade was then lifted as a condition of armistice, this purpose became less necessary for Germany.

Proponents then and now argued that it fostered the economic development of parts of the former Russian Empire and laid the foundation for the future integration of Europe in the European Confederation

The main aim of the EEC, as stated in its preamble, was to "preserve peace and liberty and to lay the foundations of an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe". Calling for balanced economic growth, this was to be accomplished through 1) the establishment of a customs union with a common external tariff 2) common policies for agriculture, transport and trade 3) enlargement of the EEC to the rest of Europe.[3] For the customs union, the treaty provided for a 10% reduction in custom duties and up to 20% of global import quotas. Critics at the time complained that Germany, with the most developed continental economy of the then members would dominate the union. Under German Emperor Louis-Ferdinand, the EEC was expanded substantially, after the successful rapprochement with France in the early 1950s, notably with the admission of France in 1956 and Italy in 1957.

The Great Pacific War (1937-1945)

{Supplanted by the European Commonwealth/Confederation}

Cold War

{to be drafted}

Members

Albania (1956)
Austria (1919)
Baltic State (EEC) (1919)
Banat Republic (EEC) (1919)
Belarus (1920)
Belgium (1919/1929)
Bulgaria (1920)
Czechoslovakia (1919)
Denmark (1929)
Finland (1919)
France (1956)
Germany (1919)
Great Britain (1932)
Greece (1956)
Hungary (1919)
Italy (1957)
Lithuania (1919)
The Netherlands (1929)
Poland (EEC) (1919)
Romania (& Bessarabia) (1933)
Serbia (1956)
Spain (1936)
Trans-Caucausus (1924)
Turkey (1924)
Yugoslavia (1919)
Ukraine (1919)