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The European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom) is an international organisation
International organization

An intergovernmental organization is an organization comprised primarily of Sovereignty State , or of other intergovernmental organization. Intergovernmental organizations are often called International_organization, although that term may also include international nongovernmental organization such as international non-profit organizations...
 which is semi-independent of, but completely controlled by, the European Community
European Community

The European Community is one of the three pillars of the European Union created under the Maastricht Treaty . It is based upon the principle of supranationalism and has its origins in the European Economic Community, the predecessor of the European Union....
 pillar
Three pillars of the European Union

The Treaty of Maastricht, which established the European Union, divided EU policies into three main areas called pillars....
 of the European Union
European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European Union member state, located primarily in Europe. It was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community....
.

It was established on 25 March 1957 along with the European Economic Community
European Economic Community

The European Economic Community was an international organisation created in 1957 to bring about economic integration between Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands....
 (EEC) by the Treaty of Rome
Treaty of Rome

The Treaties of Rome are two of the treaties of the European Union signed on March 25 1957. Both treaties were signed by Inner Six: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany....
, being taken over by the executive
Executive (government)

Sorry, no overview for this topic
 institutions
Institutions of the European Union

There are currently five institutions of the European Union which govern the Union. They are outlined in the treaties of the European Union in the following order: the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union ; the European Commission, the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Auditors....
 of the EEC in 1967 but continuing to legally exist separately even after the European Communities
European Communities

The European Communities were three international organisations that were governed by the same set of Institutions of the European Union. These were the European Coal and Steel Community , the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community ....
 were absorbed into the European Union
European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European Union member state, located primarily in Europe. It was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community....
 as a pillar in 1993.

lass="link1" onMouseover='showByLink("m1050366",this)' onMouseout='hide("m1050366")'href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/1967_Oil_Embargo">1967 Oil Embargo
1967 Oil Embargo

The 1967 Oil Embargo began on June 6, 1967, one day after the beginning of the Six-Day War, with a joint Arab decision to deter any countries from supporting Israel militarily....
 cut off a large portion of European energy supplies, exacerbated by lack of solidarity and uniformity in embargoing specific countries.






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The European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom) is an international organisation
International organization

An intergovernmental organization is an organization comprised primarily of Sovereignty State , or of other intergovernmental organization. Intergovernmental organizations are often called International_organization, although that term may also include international nongovernmental organization such as international non-profit organizations...
 which is semi-independent of, but completely controlled by, the European Community
European Community

The European Community is one of the three pillars of the European Union created under the Maastricht Treaty . It is based upon the principle of supranationalism and has its origins in the European Economic Community, the predecessor of the European Union....
 pillar
Three pillars of the European Union

The Treaty of Maastricht, which established the European Union, divided EU policies into three main areas called pillars....
 of the European Union
European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European Union member state, located primarily in Europe. It was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community....
.

It was established on 25 March 1957 along with the European Economic Community
European Economic Community

The European Economic Community was an international organisation created in 1957 to bring about economic integration between Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands....
 (EEC) by the Treaty of Rome
Treaty of Rome

The Treaties of Rome are two of the treaties of the European Union signed on March 25 1957. Both treaties were signed by Inner Six: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany....
, being taken over by the executive
Executive (government)

Sorry, no overview for this topic
 institutions
Institutions of the European Union

There are currently five institutions of the European Union which govern the Union. They are outlined in the treaties of the European Union in the following order: the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union ; the European Commission, the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Auditors....
 of the EEC in 1967 but continuing to legally exist separately even after the European Communities
European Communities

The European Communities were three international organisations that were governed by the same set of Institutions of the European Union. These were the European Coal and Steel Community , the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community ....
 were absorbed into the European Union
European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 European Union member state, located primarily in Europe. It was established by the Treaty of Maastricht on 1 November 1993 upon the foundations of the pre-existing European Economic Community....
 as a pillar in 1993.

History

1967 Oil Embargo
1967 Oil Embargo

The 1967 Oil Embargo began on June 6, 1967, one day after the beginning of the Six-Day War, with a joint Arab decision to deter any countries from supporting Israel militarily....
 cut off a large portion of European energy supplies, exacerbated by lack of solidarity and uniformity in embargoing specific countries. As a result of the crisis, the Common Assembly
European Parliament

The European Parliament is the only direct election parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union , it forms the bicameral Institutions of the European Union#Legislature of the Institutions of the European Union and has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world....
 proposed extending the powers of the European Coal and Steel Community
European Coal and Steel Community

The European Coal and Steel Community was a six-nation international organisation serving to unify Western Europe during the Cold War and creating the foundation for European democracy and the modern-day developments of the European Union....
 to cover other sources of energy. However Jean Monnet
Jean Monnet

Jean Omer Marie Gabriel Monnet is regarded by many as a chief architect of European Unity. Never elected to public office, Monnet worked behind the scenes of American and European governments as a well-connected pragmatic internationalist....
, ECSC architect and President, desired a separate community to cover atomic energy
Atomic energy

Atomic energy is energy produced by atoms.*Nuclear energy, the energy resulting of potential difference of the nuclear force*Nuclear reaction, a process in which two nuclei or nuclear particles collide, to produce different products than the initial products; see also nuclear fission and nuclear fusion....
. Louis Armand
Louis Armand

Louis Armand was a French engineering who managed several public companies and had a significant role during World War II as an officer in the French resistance....
 was put in charge of a study into the prospects of nuclear energy use in Europe, his report concluded that further nuclear development was needed to fill the deficit left by the exhaustion of coal deposits and to reduce dependence on oil producers. However the Benelux states and Germany were also keen on creating a general common market
Single market

A common market is a customs union with common policies on product regulation, and freedom of movement of the factors of production and of capitalism....
, although it was opposed by France due to its protectionism
Protectionism

Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between nations, through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive import quota, and a variety of other restrictive government regulations designed to discourage imports, and prevent foreign take-over of local markets and companies....
 and Jean Monnet thought it too large and difficult a task. In the end, Monnet proposed the creation of separate atomic energy and economic communities, to reconcile both groups.

The Intergovernmental Conference on the Common Market and Euratom
Intergovernmental Conference on the Common Market and Euratom

The Intergovernmental Conference on the Common Market and Euratom was held in Brussels, it started on 26 June 1956 with a session in the Grand Salon of the Belgian Foreign Ministry....
 at Val Duchesse
Castle of the Valley of the Duchess

The Castle of the Valley of the Duchess is a former priory situated in the municipality of Auderghem in the Brussels Capital Region of Belgium....
 in 1956 drew up the essentials of the new treaties. Euratom would foster co-operation in the nuclear field, at the time a very popular area, and would, along with the EEC, share the Common Assembly and Court of Justice
European Court of Justice

The Court of Justice of the European Communities, usually called the European Court of Justice , is the Supreme court of the European Union ....
 of the ECSC, but not its executives. Euratom would have its own Commission, with fewer powers than the ECSC's High Authority
High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community

The High Authority was the executive branch of the former European Coal and Steel Community . It was created in 1951 and disbanded in 1967 when it was merged into the European Commission....
, and Council. On 25 March 1957, the Treaties of Rome were signed by the ECSC members
Inner Six

The Inner Six, or simply The Six, were the six founding Member State of the European Union of the European Communities. This was in contrast to the outer seven who formed the European Free Trade Association rather than be involved in supranational European integration ....
 and on 1 January 1958 they came into force.

To save on resources, these separate executives created by the Rome Treaties were merged in 1967 by the Merger Treaty
Merger Treaty

The Merger Treaty was a Treaties of the European Union which combined the Executive bodies of the European Coal and Steel Community , European Atomic Energy Community and the European Economic Community into a single Institutions of the European Union....
. The institutions of the EEC would take over responsibilities for the running of the EEC and Euratom, with all three then becoming known as the European Communities
European Communities

The European Communities were three international organisations that were governed by the same set of Institutions of the European Union. These were the European Coal and Steel Community , the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community ....
 although each legally existed separately. In 1993, the Maastricht Treaty
Maastricht Treaty

The Maastricht Treaty was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands after final negotiations on December 9, 1991 between the members of the European Community and entered into force on 1 November 1993 during the Delors Commission....
 created the European Union, which absorbed the Communities into the European Community
European Community

The European Community is one of the three pillars of the European Union created under the Maastricht Treaty . It is based upon the principle of supranationalism and has its origins in the European Economic Community, the predecessor of the European Union....
 pillar, yet Euratom still maintains a distinct legal personality and the treaty remains in force relatively un-amended from its original signing.

The European Constitution was intended to consolidate all previous treaties and increase democratic accountability in them. The Euratom had not been amended in the same way the other treaties had and hence the European Parliament
European Parliament

The European Parliament is the only direct election parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union , it forms the bicameral Institutions of the European Union#Legislature of the Institutions of the European Union and has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world....
 had been granted few powers of it. However, the reason it had gone unamended was the same reason the Constitution left it to remain separate from the rest of the EU: anti-nuclear sentiment among the European electorate which may unnecessarily turn voters against the treaty..

Aims and achievements

The purposes of Euratom are to create a specialist market for nuclear power
Nuclear power

Nuclear power is any nuclear technology designed to extract usable energy from atomic nucleus via controlled nuclear reactions. The only method in use today is through nuclear fission, though other methods might one day include nuclear fusion and radioactive decay ....
 and distribute it through the Community and to develop nuclear energy and sell surplus to non-Community States. Its major project is currently its participation in the international fusion reactor ITER
ITER

ITER is an international tokamak research/engineering proposal for an experimental project that could help to make the transition from today's studies of plasma physics to future electricity-producing fusion power plants....
  financed under the nuclear part of FP7
Seventh Framework Programme

The Seventh Framework Programme for research and technological development is the European Union's chief instrument for funding research over the period 2007 to 2013....
. Euratom also provides a mechanism for providing loans to finance nuclear projects in the EU.

In European regulation's history Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty represents pioneering legislation concerning binding transfrontier obligations with respect to environmental impact and protection of humans

Presidents of the EAEC

The five member Commission was led by only three Presidents while it had independent executives (1958-1967), all from France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
;
  • Louis Armand
    Louis Armand

    Louis Armand was a French engineering who managed several public companies and had a significant role during World War II as an officer in the French resistance....
     (France
    France

    France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
    ) 1958-1959 - Armand Commission
    Armand Commission

    The Armand Commission was the first Commission of the European Atomic Energy Community , between 1958 and 1959. Its president was Louis Armand of France....
  • Étienne Hirsch
    Étienne Hirsch

    ?tienne Hirsch was a France civil engineer and administrator who served as President of the European Commission of the European Atomic Energy Community between 1959-1962 ....
     (France
    France

    France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
    ) 1959-1962- Hirsch Commission
    Hirsch Commission

    The Hirsch Commission was the second Commission of the European Atomic Energy Community , between 1959 and 1962. Its president was ?tienne Hirsch of France....
  • Pierre Chatenet
    Pierre Chatenet

    Pierre Chatenet was a France politician born 6 March 1917 in Paris and died 4 September 1997 in Tafers. He served as Minister of the Interior from 1959 to 1961....
     (France
    France

    France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
    ) 1962-1967- Chatenet Commission
    Chatenet Commission

    The Chatenet Commission was the last Commission of the European Atomic Energy Community , between 1962 and 1967. Its president was Pierre Chatenet of France....


See also

  • Institutions of the European Union
    Institutions of the European Union

    There are currently five institutions of the European Union which govern the Union. They are outlined in the treaties of the European Union in the following order: the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union ; the European Commission, the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Auditors....
  • History of the European Union
    History of the European Union

    The European Union is a geo-political entity covering a large portion of the European continent. It is founded upon numerous treaties and has undergone expansions that has taken it from 6 European Union to 27, a majority of states in Europe....
  • EU Directorate General Joint Research Centre - often incorrectly referred to as Euratom due to EURATOM being its origin.
  • European Energy Community
  • Energy policy of the European Union
    Energy policy of the European Union

    Although the European Union has legislated in the area of energy policy for many years, and evolved out of the European Coal and Steel Community, the concept of introducing a mandatory and comprehensive European energy policy was only approved at the meeting of the European Council on October 27, 2005 in London....
  • Nuclear energy in the European Union
    Nuclear energy in the European Union

    The nuclear energy in the European Union accounts approximately 15% of total energy consumption. The energy policies of the European Union member countries vary significantly....
  • The nuclear
    Nuclear power

    Nuclear power is any nuclear technology designed to extract usable energy from atomic nucleus via controlled nuclear reactions. The only method in use today is through nuclear fission, though other methods might one day include nuclear fusion and radioactive decay ....
     part of the The Seventh Framework Programme for research and technological development
    Seventh Framework Programme

    The Seventh Framework Programme for research and technological development is the European Union's chief instrument for funding research over the period 2007 to 2013....
    , the European Union's chief instrument for funding research.


External links

  • European NAvigator