Convention on certain institutions common to the European Communities annexed to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community which was signed in Rome on 25 March 1957 and entered into force on 1 January 1958.

Convention on certain institutions common to the European Communities annexed to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community. Revised version.

Diagram showing the operation and organisation of the institutions of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), as established by the Treaty signed in Paris on 18 April 1951.

Photo showing the Presidents of the four institutions of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), taken in Luxembourg on 8 February 1955. From left to right: Emilio Battista, President-in-Office of the Special Council of Ministers, Giuseppe Pella, President of the Common Assembly, Jean Monnet, President of the High Authority, and Massimo Pilotti, President of the Court of Justice.

Diagram showing the operation and organisation of the institutions of the European Economic Community (EEC), as established by the Treaty signed in Rome on 25 March 1957 by the representatives of the six Member States of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).

Diagram showing the operation and organisation of the institutions of the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), as established by the Treaty signed on 25 March 1957 in Rome.

Diagram illustrating the merger of the executives that resulted from the entry into force on 1 July 1967 of the Treaty of 8 April 1965 establishing a Single Council and a Single Commission of the European Communities.

Simplified diagram showing the character, operation and role in decision-making of the institutions of the European Union before the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty on 1 December 2009.

Illustration portraying the European Parliament.

Illustration portraying the Council of the European Union.

Illustration portraying the European Commission.

Illustration portraying the Court of Justice of the European Communities.

Illustration portraying the European Court of Auditors.

Dans un article paru dans le quotidien français Le Monde le 18 février 1955, le juriste Paul Reuter prend la défense du fonctionnement des institutions de la Communauté européenne du charbon et de l’acier (CECA) en espérant que, dans l’avenir, la formation de vrais Européens remédiera aux inefficacités provoquées par les antagonismes nationaux.

On 12 October 1960, Walter Hallstein, President of the Commission of the European Economic Community (EEC), makes a statement before European Parliamentary Assembly (EPA) in reply to the oral question put by the Chairmen of the Socialist, Liberal and Christian Democrat political groups regarding the possible institutional implications of the proposed ‘Relaunch of Political Europe’. A debate is held in the EPA in which the Presidents of the three European Communities take part: Walter Hallstein, President of the EEC Commission, Étienne Hirsch, President of the Euratom Commission, and Piero Malvestiti, President of the ECSC High Authority.

In this article, Hans-Gert Pöttering, Chairman of the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats (EPP-ED) in the European Parliament, offers an explanation of ‘who does what’ in the European Union. According to Mr Pöttering, the role played by the Commission, the Council and Parliament — together making up the EU’s decision-making triangle — is more important than the political composition of the three institutions.

Reflection paper on the functioning of the institutions, prepared by the European Convention Secretariat and approved by the Praesidium, forwarded to the Members of the Convention on 10 January 2003. The document was intended to serve as a basis for the debate in the plenary session of the Convention on 20 and 21 January 2003.

Simplified diagram showing the character, operation and role in decision-making of the institutions of the European Union before the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty on 1 December 2009.

Diagram showing the interaction between the different European institutions in the fields covered by the common foreign and security policy (CFSP), following the entry into force on 1 November 1993 of the Treaty on European Union, signed in Maastricht on 7 February 1992.

Diagram showing the interaction between the different European institutions in the fields covered by the common foreign and security policy (CFSP), following the entry into force on 1 May 1999 of the Amsterdam Treaty, signed on 2 October 1997.

Diagram showing the interaction between the different European institutions in the fields covered by the common foreign and security policy (CFSP), following the entry into force on 1 February 2003 of the Nice Treaty, signed on 26 February 2001.

Diagram showing the interaction between the different European institutions in the fields of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters (PJCC).

In this article, published on 19 May 2003 in the French daily newspaper Le Figaro, the author explains the key features of the Community method and the importance of its continuation in an enlarged European Union.

In his editorial dated 13 May 2003, Ferdinando Riccardi, Editor-in-Chief of the Europe Daily Bulletin, uses tangible examples to illustrate the inefficiency of the intergovernmental method and the advantages of the Community method.

On 20 May 2003, in Brussels, Jacques Delors gives a speech at the conference organised by the Greek Presidency of the Council of the European Union to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Agence Europe. At a time when the work of the European Convention is the focus of attention, Jacques Delors, as a reply to those who call for the ‘refoundation of Europe', advocates a ‘Europe continued' on the basis of the institutional legacy of the founding fathers of Europe, the indispensability of the Community method and the principle of ‘differentiation'.

Given that, after 50 years, the Community method remains the essential component for the smooth functioning of the European Union, Commissioners Michel Barnier and António Vitorino outline, in this contribution to the European Convention on 3 September 2002, what the characteristics of this decision-making method are with a view to facilitating its efficient application and its extension to other fields.

Descriptive note on the instruments available to the European Union and the Community for the exercise of their competences, forwarded to the Members of the Convention by the Praesidium on 15 May 2002. The document was intended to serve as a basis for the debate of the Convention on 23 and 24 May 2002 on how the missions of the Union should best be carried out.

In his editorial dated 13 May 2003, Ferdinando Riccardi, Editor-in-Chief of the Europe Daily Bulletin, sees no drawbacks to meetings between groups of Member States of the European Union, such as those between the ‘three giants’, provided that it does not affect the smooth functioning of the Community method.

In January 2003, in an article published in the French daily newspaper Le Figaro to mark the 40th anniversary of the Franco-German Treaty of Friendship, Hans-Gert Pöttering and Margie Sudre praise the Community method used in the European Union.

In this interview, Catherine Lalumière, former French Junior Minister for European Affairs and former Secretary General of the Council of Europe, explains the differences between the Council of Europe’s intergovernmental method and the Community method used by the European Union and European Communities.

Dans ses Mémoires, Jean Monnet évoque les raisons pour lesquelles la ville de Luxembourg fut choisie pour accueillir les institutions de la CECA.

‘Josy, good old Josy, so you managed to bring something back from Paris?' On 5 August 1952, in the daily newspaper Tageblatt, the Luxembourg cartoonist Simon portrays the key role played by Joseph Bech, Luxembourg Foreign Minister, in the agreement reached by the Six to have the seat of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) located provisionally in Luxembourg.

Dans une note confidentielle du 25 juillet 1957 sur le siège des institutions, Jean Monnet plaide pour que l'ensemble des institutions des trois Communautés européennes aient un siège commun.

On 25 November 1957, the Action Committee for a United States of Europe adopts a resolution in which it calls for a single seat for the institutions of the European Communities, all of which should be located in a ‘European District’.

In this interview, Charles Rutten, former Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the European Communities, recalls the debate on the seat of the institutions at the time of their establishment.

Extract from the Conference of Foreign Ministers, held in Paris on 6 and 7 January 1958, on the provisional location of the institutional seats.

In 1958, the six Member States of the European Communities had to choose three presidents (one for each of the Communities) and a European capital.

Étude, jointe à la note du secrétariat du Comité européen d'experts en urbanisme du 9 avril 1958, sur les "caractéristiques que devrait réunir le lieu qui pourrait être choisi pour l'implantation du siège" des institutions communautaires.

Étude réalisée en 1958 par le Comité européen d'experts en urbanisme, sur la situation géographique, les communications et les possibilités d'hébergement des différentes villes candidates à devenir siège des institutions communautaires.

Résumés établis par le Comité européen des experts en urbanisme au cours de ses réunions des 26 et 27 avril 1958 à Nice, au sujet des candidatures des villes de Bruxelles, Strasbourg et Luxembourg pour devenir siège des institutions communautaires.

Letter sent by the President of the Commission of the European Economic Community, Walter Hallstein, on 18 June 1958, to the President of the Council of the European Economic Community, Victor Larock, on the occasion of the position taking of the presidents of the institutions of the European Communities concerning the choice of the seat of the Communities.

Letter sent by the President of the Commission of the European Atomic Energy Community, Louis Armand, on 19 June 1958, to the President of the Council of the European Economic Community, Victor Larock, on the occasion of the position taking of the presidents of the institutions of the European Communities concerning the choice of the seat of the Communities.

Letter sent by the President of the European Investment Bank, Pietro Campilli, on 19 June 1958, to the President of the Council of the European Economic Community, Victor Larock, on the occasion of the position taking of the presidents of the institutions of the European Communities concerning the choice of the seat of the Communities.

Letter sent by the President of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community, Paul Finet, on 19 June 1958, to the President of the Council of the European Economic Community, Victor Larock, on the occasion of the position taking of the presidents of the institutions of the European Communities concerning the choice of the seat of the Communities.

Letter sent by the President of the Court of Justice of the European Coal and Steel Community, Massimo Pilotti, on 22 June 1958, to the President of the Council of the European Economic Community, Victor Larock, on the occasion of the position taking of the presidents of the institutions of the European Communities concerning the choice of the seat of the Communities.

Éditorial du 13 novembre 1964 du bulletin quotidien Europe. Dans la perspective de la fusion des exécutifs, et devant le risque d'un "morcellement des institutions" dans trois villes différentes, Emanuele Gazzo, rédacteur en chef de l'Agence Europe, se montre partisan d'une "solution bipolaire". Bruxelles accueillirait les exécutifs (Commission et Conseil) et Luxembourg les organes de contrôle (Parlement et Cour de justice).

Dans l’éditorial du bulletin quotidien Europe, du 3 mars 1964, Emanuele Gazzo, rédacteur en chef de l'Agence Europe, salue l’accord intervenu sur le siège des institutions, malgré qu'il n'ait pu être pris "dans le cadre du rationnel mais à l’enseigne du possible". Le compromis permettant la fusion des exécutifs, événement politique majeur, prime sur toute autre considération d'ordre pratique tels que les troubles prévisibles dans l'organisation et le fonctionnement des institutions.

Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States on the provisional location of certain institutions and departments of the Communities. In a meeting held on 8 April 1965 in Brussels, the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States decided provisionally to locate the institutions and other bodies of the European Communities in Strasbourg, Brussels and Luxembourg.

Published on 22 November 1980 in the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir, this article on the geographic dispersal of the European institutions looks back to 1951 to find the reasons for the situation and to trace its development.

En 1986, le caricaturiste français Plantu ironise sur les difficultés liées à la multiplicité des sièges des institutions communautaires.

Decision of 12 December 1992 taken by common agreement between the representatives of the governments of the Member States on the location of the seats of the institutions and of certain bodies and departments of the European Communities.

Protocol annexed to the Treaty on European Union and the Treaties establishing the European Community, the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Atomic Energy Community by the Treaty of Amsterdam of 2 October 1997.

Map showing the seats of the institutions and bodies of the European Union (Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg and Frankfurt) as established since 1997 by the founding Treaties and as amended by the Treaty of Lisbon signed in 2007.

The Luxembourg weekly magazine Revue publishes an interview with the MP, Ben Fayot, on the important role played by Luxembourg as the seat of the institutions of the European Union alongside two other ‘European capitals’, Brussels and Strasbourg.

Published in a special supplement to La Voix du Luxembourg of April/May 2003 devoted to the European institutions within the Grand Duchy, this article contains explanations from Monique Schumacher, Director of the Luxembourg Information Office of the European Parliament, concerning the Luxembourgish roots of the Commission and Parliament.

Aerial view of the Leopold district in Brussels. In the foreground is the European Parliament. Behind it is the Council’s ‘Justus Lipsius’ building and the Commission’s ‘Berlaymont’ building.

Aerial view of the European Quarter in Strasbourg. In the foreground is the Palais de l’Europe (Council of Europe building) and in the middle distance is the European Parliament (European Union).

Aerial view of the Kirchberg district in Luxembourg. On the left: in the foreground are the buildings of the Court of Justice of the European Communities; in the middle distance is the European Commission’s ‘Jean Monnet’ Building. On the right: in the foreground are the buildings of the Secretariat of the European Parliament; behind them is the European Court of Auditors.

In this interview excerpt, Joseph Weyland, Permanent Representative to the European Communities from 1984 to 1991, discusses the question of the seats of the European institutions in Luxembourg, particularly referring to the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (the EU’s Trademark Office) and the European Central Bank.