The EU parliament in session Main policies of the EEC
To fulfil its aim, the EEC’s institutions would implement a set of policies agreed in the Treaty of Rome:
• Common market: to create a free trade area by eliminating restrictions (tariffs, custom duties) on trade on all goods amongst members. It would also have common external tariffs for goods coming into the free trade area. The intention was to increase trade between members and therefore help them grow their economies.
• Freedom of movement: to remove the restrictions on the movement of money, people, goods and services amongst member states. These are known as the ‘Four Freedoms’.
• Common Agricultural Policy (CAP): to guarantee the price paid to farmers for their produce and set high standards of quality.
• Investment fund: to improve less-developed areas of the EEC through funding from richer members.
CHECKPOINT! 1. Why did the six members of the ECSC decide to set up the European Economic Community?
2. What is the function of each of the following institutions: (a) the Commission; (b) the Council of Ministers; (c) the European Parliament; (d) the Court of Justice?
3. What is the common market? 4. What are the ‘Four Freedoms’?
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I understand the founding of the EEC and its structures and policies.
TIME TO GO BACK I CAN MOVE FORWARD Timeline of early
European integration 1947: Benelux Agreement 1948: OEEC 1949: Council of Europe 1949: NATO 1950: Schuman Plan 1952: ECSC launched 1957: Treaty of Rome 1958: EEC comes into being
