‘The new Atlantic Wall. Here begins Europe.’ On 31 July 1959, for cartoonist Klaus Pielert the Franco-German message to the United Kingdom is clear. Accessing the Common Market, protected by a veritable Atlantic Wall fortified with blockhouses and cannons depicting the faces of Konrad Adenauer and Charles de Gaulle, will not be easy for the British.

On 23 July 1966, Pierre Pescatore, General Secretary of the Luxembourg Foreign Ministry, outlines the ideas exchanged between Pierre Harmel, Belgian Foreign Minister, and his Dutch and Luxembourg counterparts, Joseph Luns and Pierre Werner, on the subject of the potential accession of the United Kingdom to the European Economic Community (EEC).

In this interview, Georges Berthoin, Head of the Delegation of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), then of the Commission of the European Communities to the United Kingdom until 1973, comments on the political and economic motives behind the United Kingdom’s first two applications for accession to the European Communities in 1961 and 1967.

In this interview, Étienne Davignon, former Head of Cabinet of the Belgian Foreign Ministers Paul-Henri Spaak and Pierre Harmel, describes the position of Belgian diplomacy in the 1960s with regard to the United Kingdom’s possible accession to the European Communities.

On 13 April 1960, British daily newspaper The Guardian speculates on the chances of closer relations being established between the United Kingdom and the European Economic Community (EEC).

On 22 February 1961, British cartoonist David Low takes an ironic look at the preparations made by the British authorities (Prime Minister Harold Macmillan) for a possible British application for accession to the European Economic Community (EEC). On the left, Federal Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, ready to intervene in the event of a problem.

On 31 May 1960, the British cartoonist, David Low, takes an ironic look at the chances for a closer relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Economic Community (EEC) and illustrates the difficult mediation task facing the Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, and his Foreign Secretary, John Selwyn Lloyd.

On 10 May 1961, British cartoonist Leslie Gilbert Illingworth takes an ironic look at the position adopted by British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, who, despite encouragement from the Six (except France), is hesitating over the United Kingdom’s possible accession to the European Communities.

On 16 and 17 May 1961, British MPs debate future relations between the United Kingdom and the Europe of the Six.

'Anything to declare, gentlemen?' customs officers Konrad Adenauer, German Chancellor, and Charles de Gaulle, French President, ask Harold Macmillan, British Prime Minister, as the latter attempts to smuggle the Commonwealth into the common market despite the warning: 'Common market: imports of special favours for the Commonwealth and agricultural protectionism forbidden.'

On 6 July 1961, the United Kingdom and New Zealand issue a joint statement giving an outline of the discussions between Duncan Sandys, British Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, and his New Zealand counterparts, on the implications of the United Kingdom’s possible membership of the European Communities.

On 11 July 1961, Lord Perth, British Minister for Colonial Affairs, and political representatives of the West Indies issued a joint statement on discussions concerning the economic implications for the Commonwealth of the United Kingdom’s accession to the European Economic Community.

On 11 July 1961, Duncan Sandys, British Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, visits Australia for discussions on the economic implications of the United Kingdom’s accession to the European Economic Community.

On 25 July 1961, in the light of the United Kingdom’s application for accession to the European Economic Community (EEC), the British cartoonist, David Low, takes an ironic look at the care lavished by John Selwyn Lloyd, Chancellor of the Exchequer, on the British economy.

Whilst the Commonwealth Prime Ministers meet in London to consider the problems posed by the entry of the United Kingdom into the Common Market, outside Marlborough House, London, British citizens protest against UK accession to the European Communities.

On 31 July 1961, Harold Macmillan, British Prime Minister, announces to the House of Commons his Government’s decision formally to apply for the accession of the United Kingdom to the European Economic Community (EEC).

On 1 August 1961, the Commission of the European Economic Community welcomes the United Kingdom's request for accession to the EEC and emphasises the importance of the European integration process.

‘The road to Europe’. On 4 August 1961, in the light of the United Kingdom’s application for accession to the European Communities, German cartoonist Brockmann paints an ironic picture of British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan’s U-turn on Europe. The cartoon shows Macmillan’s moustache gradually taking the form of the German abbreviation for EEC.

On 9 August 1961, British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sends a letter to Ludwig Erhard, President-in-Office of the Council of Ministers of the European Community, informing him of the British Government's desire to begin negotiations on the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities.

On 27 September 1961, Ludwig Erhard, President-in-Office of the Council, writes to British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, to inform him of the Council's agreement to the United Kingdom's request for accession to the European Communities.

On 3 February 1962, Sir Michael Tandy, British Ambassador to Luxembourg, delivers to the Luxembourger Christian Calmes, Secretary-General of the Special Council of Ministers of the ECSC, Britain’s application for accession to the European Coal and Steel Community.

On 2 March 1962, British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sends a letter to the President of the ECSC Special Council of Ministers in which he confirms the United Kingdom's desire to open diplomatic negotiations with a view to acceding to the Community.

In this interview, Georges Berthoin, Head of the Delegation of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), then of the Commission of the European Communities to the United Kingdom until 1973, comments on the political objectives of the United Kingdom during its first application for accession to the European Communities in 1961.

On 26 September 1961, the French Conservative daily newspaper Le Figaro focuses on the progress of and the issues at stake in the negotiations on the United Kingdom’s accession to the European Economic Community (EEC).

On 1 August 1961, the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera predicts lengthy and difficult negotiations regarding the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities.

'I'll be very gentle…' In August 1961, British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan declares himself to be in favour of setting Britain on the road to accession to the European Economic Community (EEC). However, the journey will not be pain free for the old 'British lion'.

On 3 August 1961, Jean Monnet, President of the Action Committee for the United States of Europe, sends a letter to Jaap A. W. Burger, leader of the Dutch Labour Party, in which he emphasises the importance of British accession to the Common Market.

On 3 August 1961, in its coverage of the United Kingdom's application for accession to the European Communities, the German daily newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung considers the political and economic implications of British participation in the EEC.

'Already, mon general, we've discarded our two-party system and got lots of extra new parties... like France !' In 1961, Harold Macmillan, the British Prime Minister, explains to President De Gaulle how political divisions arising from the UK's accession to the European Communities, and the subsequent multiplication of factions, are the first sign of European integration.

'De Gaulle: come on in Macmillan'. On 5 August 1961, Wierengen criticises the ambiguous stance of General de Gaulle, who is calling on the United Kingdom to join the European Communities whilst at the same time rejecting the British application.

‘The British lion – Stop dithering: go on, jump!’ On 12 August 1961, the front page of the German satirical magazine Simplicissimus responds to the announcement of the United Kingdom’s application to join the European Economic Community.

On 20 August 1961, the American President, John F. Kennedy, makes his Under-Secretary of State, George Ball, aware of his concern following the announcement of the United Kingdom's application for accession to the European common market and his fears relating to the economic implications for the United States.

'Mr Macmillan, but not alone'. In 1962, the United Kingdom, accompanied by the rest of the large Commonwealth family, applies for membership of the European Economic Community.

Le 7 mars 1962, le quotidien allemand Süddeutsche Zeitung analyse les possibles répercussions économiques d'une adhésion du Royaume-Uni au Marché commun européen et à Euratom.

In January 1962, the Commission of the European Economic Community published its Report on the execution of the Treaty. The Report describes, in particular, the negotiations relating to the United Kingdom's application for accession to the European Communities.

On 10 June 1962, Edward Heath, Lord Privy Seal and principal British negotiator with the Six, grants the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera an interview on the subject of the United Kingdom's application for accession to the European Communities.

On 18 January 1962, the French daily newspaper Le Monde analyses the implications of the United Kingdom’s request for accession to the European Communities, made on 9 August 1961 by British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan.

On 19 January 1962, in an article published in the French daily newspaper Le Monde, European expert Pierre Uri analyses the significance of the common external tariff in the negotiations for the United Kingdom’s possible accession to the European Communities.

On 20 January 1962, in its coverage of the negotiations on the United Kingdom's accession to the European common market, the French daily newspaper Le Monde looks at the contentious issue of agricultural products from the Commonwealth

On 12 September 1962, Arnaud Wapler, French chargé d'affaires in London, sends to Maurice Couve de Murville, French Foreign Minister, an account of the conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers, dedicated, in particular, to the United Kingdom’s plans for accession to the EEC.

On 28 April 1965, in London, Duncan Sandys, former Conservative Defence Minister, describes, to the very conservative Primrose League, his six-point European policy plan.

In 1965, Gerhard Schröder, German Foreign minister, highlights the importance of the United Kingdom's accession to the European Communities.

In 1969, journalist, Roger Massip, tells the story of the turbulent courtship, throught the 1960s, between the United Kingdom and the Europe of the Six.

Gerhard Schröder, German Minister for the Interior from 1953 to 1961 and Foreign Minister from 1961 to 1966.