Euratom Treaty
Encyclopedia
The Euratom Treaty, officially the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community established the European Atomic Energy Community
. It was signed on the 25 March 1957 at the same time as the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community
(EEC
Treaty).
The Euratom treaty is less well known due to the lower profile of the organisation it founded. While the EEC has evolved into what is now the European Union
, Euratom has remained much the same as it was in 1957, albeit governed by the institutions of the European Union. It was established with its own independent institutions, but the 1967 Merger Treaty
merged the institutions of Euratom and the ECSC with those of the EEC.
The Euratom treaty has seen very little amendment due to the later sensitivity surrounding nuclear power
amongst the European public opinion
. Because of this some argue that it has become too out dated, particularly in the areas of democratic oversight. It was not included as part of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe
, which sought to combine all previous treaties, over fears that including nuclear power in the treaty would turn more people against it.
It is therefore still in force today but as a separate legal treaty. It forms part of the active treaties of the European Union
.
European Atomic Energy Community
The European Atomic Energy Community is an international organisation which is legally distinct from the European Union , but has the same membership, and is governed by the EU's institutions....
. It was signed on the 25 March 1957 at the same time as the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community
Treaty of Rome
The Treaty of Rome, officially the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, was an international agreement that led to the founding of the European Economic Community on 1 January 1958. It was signed on 25 March 1957 by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany...
(EEC
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
Treaty).
The Euratom treaty is less well known due to the lower profile of the organisation it founded. While the EEC has evolved into what is now the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, Euratom has remained much the same as it was in 1957, albeit governed by the institutions of the European Union. It was established with its own independent institutions, but the 1967 Merger Treaty
Merger Treaty
The Merger Treaty was a European treaty which combined the executive bodies of the European Coal and Steel Community , European Atomic Energy Community and the European Economic Community into a single institutional structure.The treaty was signed in Brussels on 8 April 1965 and came into force...
merged the institutions of Euratom and the ECSC with those of the EEC.
The Euratom treaty has seen very little amendment due to the later sensitivity surrounding nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
amongst the European public opinion
Public opinion
Public opinion is the aggregate of individual attitudes or beliefs held by the adult population. Public opinion can also be defined as the complex collection of opinions of many different people and the sum of all their views....
. Because of this some argue that it has become too out dated, particularly in the areas of democratic oversight. It was not included as part of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe
Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe
The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe , , was an unratified international treaty intended to create a consolidated constitution for the European Union...
, which sought to combine all previous treaties, over fears that including nuclear power in the treaty would turn more people against it.
It is therefore still in force today but as a separate legal treaty. It forms part of the active treaties of the European Union
Treaties of the European Union
The Treaties of the European Union are a set of international treaties between the European Union member states which sets out the EU's constitutional basis. They establish the various EU institutions together with their remit, procedures and objectives...
.
See also
- Euratom
- History of the European Coal and Steel Community (1945–1957)
- European Economic CommunityEuropean Economic CommunityThe European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
- Treaty establishing the European Economic CommunityTreaty of RomeThe Treaty of Rome, officially the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, was an international agreement that led to the founding of the European Economic Community on 1 January 1958. It was signed on 25 March 1957 by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany...