Luxembourg, permanent capital of the Community institutions
Report by Albert Wehrer on the question of the seat of the European institutions (Luxembourg, 30 October 1950)
TextOn 30 October 1950, Albert Wehrer, Luxembourg diplomatic representative in Bonn, sends a report to Joseph Bech, Luxembourg Foreign Minister, in which he outlines the procedure that should be followed so that Luxembourg will be in a favourable position regarding the question of the seat of the institutions of the Coal and Steel Community.
Jean Monnet, Erinnerungen eines Europäers: Auszug über die Wahl des Sitzes der Institutionen
TextIn seinen Erinnerungen schreibt Jean Monnet über die Gründe, die zur Entscheidung für Luxemburg als Sitz der Organe der EGKS führten.
"Der zehnte August 1952" in Luxemburger Wort (9. August 1952)
TextAm 9. August 1952, vor der Einrichtung der Hohen Behörde der Europäischen Gemeinschaft für Kohle und Stahl (EGKS) in Luxemburg, fragt die Tageszeitung Luxemburger Wort nach der historischen Tragweite des Ereignisses für das Land und für das europäische Aufbauwerk.
Karikatur von Simon zum Schuman-Plan und Luxemburg (9. August 1952)
Image„Die Fahne des Schuman-Plans weht über Luxemburg.“ Am 10. August 1952 wird mit der Einrichtung der Hohen Behörde in Luxemburg die Flagge des Schuman-Plans über der Hauptstadt des Großherzogtums gehisst.
Rede von Jean Monnet (Hôtel de Ville, Luxemburg, 10. August 1952)
Audio extractIn seiner Rede anlässlich der Eröffnungssitzung der Hohen Behörde der EGKS am 10. August 1952 im Rathaus von Luxemburg, bedankt Robert Schuman sich für den Empfang und begrüßt die Effizienz der Behörden der Stadt Luxemburg, Sitz der Hohen Behörde.
Luxembourg, the seat of the European Institutions (Luxembourg, 19 and 20 March 1958)
TextDocument submitted by Luxembourg City Council to the European Committee of Experts on Urban Planning, on the occasion of their visit to Luxembourg on 19 and 20 March 1958.
Report by the Luxembourg Government on the merger of the executive bodies (26 July 1960)
TextOn 26 July 1960, an internal report by the Luxembourg Government emphasises the importance of the merger of the executive bodies of the three European Communities.
Note by Pierre Pescatore on the merger plan for the European Communities (16 May 1961)
TextOn 16 May 1961, Pierre Pescatore, Political Director in the Luxembourg Foreign Ministry, drafts a summary note on the progress in the ongoing negotiations on the plan to merge the Community executive bodies, in a bid to clarify Luxembourg’s position on this matter.
Pressekonferenz von Eugène Schaus: die Fusion der Exekutivorgane (CLT, 24. September 1963)
Audio extractNach einem Treffen des Ministerrates der Sechs erläutert der luxemburgische Außenminister Eugène Schaus die Haltung des Großherzogtums zur Fusion der Exekutivorgane.
'A single seat for all the European institutions' from La Libre Belgique (5 January 1964)
TextOn 5 January 1964, the daily newspaper La Libre Belgique ponders on the location of the future executives of the European Communities.
Statement by Pierre Werner on the merger of the executives (Luxembourg, 27 January 1964)
TextOn 27 January 1964, Pierre Werner, Minister without portfolio and leader of the Luxembourg Government, issues a statement on the problem of merging the European executives and on its implications for Luxembourg.
‘The Grand Duchy and Europe’ from Le Soir (4 February 1965)
TextOn 4 February 1965, Pierre Werner, Luxembourg Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, grants an interview to the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir in which he outlines Luxembourg’s current and future priorities with regard to the merger of the Community’s executive bodies and the relocation to Brussels of certain departments currently based in Luxembourg.
‘Luxembourg’s destiny in the Europe of the Six’ from Le Soir (22 February 1965)
TextOn 22 February 1965, the Belgian daily newspaper Le Soir outlines the implications for the city of Luxembourg, as the seat of several Community institutions, of the future Treaty merging the executive bodies of the European Communities.
Unterzeichnung des Vertrages über die Fusion der Exekutivorgane der drei Gemeinschaften (Brüssel, 8 April 1965)
VideoAm 8. April 1965 unterzeichnen die Außenminister der Sechs in Brüssel den Vertrag über die Fusion der Exekutivorgane der Europäischen Gemeinschaft für Kohle und Stahl (EGKS), der Europäischen Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft (EWG) und der Europäischen Atomenergiegemeinschaft (EAG). Nach seiner Ratifizierung durch die nationalen Parlamente der Sechs tritt der Fusionsvertrag, der einen gemeinsamen Rat und eine gemeinsame Kommission für die drei Gemeinschaften in Brüssel einrichtet, am 1. Juli 1967 in Kraft.
Signing of the Merger Treaty by Luxembourg (Brussels, 8 April 1965)
ImageOn 8 April 1965, in Brussels, Pierre Werner (right), Luxembourg Prime Minister, accompanied by Albert Borschette (left), Luxembourg Permanent Representative to the European Communities, signs the Treaty merging the Executives (a Single Council and a Single Commission) of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom).
Pierre Werner signs the Merger Treaty (Brussels, 8 April 1965)
ImageOn 8 April 1965, in Brussels, Pierre Werner, Luxembourg Minister of State and President of the Government, signs the Treaty merging the executive bodies (single Commission and Council) of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC).
Beschluss der Vertreter der Regierungen der Mitgliedstaaten über die vorläufige Unterbringung der Organe (8. April 1965)
TextBeschluss der Vertreter der Regierungen der Mitgliedstaaten über die vorläufige Unterbringung bestimmter Organe und Dienststellen der Gemeinschaften. Auf einer Sitzung am 8. April 1965 in Brüssel beschließen die Vertreter der Regierungen der Mitgliedstaaten, die Organe und Dienststellen der Europäischen Gemeinschaften vorläufig in Straßburg, Brüssel und Luxemburg einzurichten.
Rede von Pierre Werner zur Fusion der Exekutivorgane (1966)
TextDer luxemburgische Premierminister Pierre Werner spricht in einer Rede von 1966 über die Fusion der Exekutivorgane und die Einrichtung des Sitzes bestimmter Organe in Luxemburg.
Erklärung von Pierre Werner (Luxemburg, 21. Oktober 1966)
VideoAm 21. Oktober 1966 erläutert der luxemburgische Außenminister Pierre Werner seinen Mitbürgern die Bedeutung des Fusionsvertrages für die Exekutivorgane der drei Europäischen Gemeinschaften nach dessen Ratifizierung durch das luxemburgische Abgeordnetenhaus.
Die Fusion der Exekutivorgane (1. Juli 1967)
DiagramSchematische Darstellung der Fusion der Exekutivorgane, gemäß dem Vertrag vom 8. April 1965 zur Einsetzung eines gemeinsamen Rates und einer gemeinsamen Kommission der Europäischen Gemeinschaften, der am 1. Juli 1967 in Kraft trat.
Letzte Sitzung der Hohen Behörde der EGKS (Luxemburg, 28. Juni 1967)
VideoAm 28. Juni 1967 hält die Hohe Behörde der Europäischen Gemeinschaft für Kohle und Stahl (EGKS) ihre letzte Sitzung in Luxemburg ab. Am 1. Juli tritt der Vertrag über die Fusion der Exekutivorgane der EGKS, der Europäischen Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft (EWG) und der Europäischen Atomenergiegemeinschaft (EAG) in Kraft, der am 8. April 1965 in Brüssel unterzeichnet worden ist. Die gemeinsame Kommission tritt zum ersten Mal am 6. Juli in Brüssel unter dem Vorsitz des Belgiers Jean Rey zusammen.
‘Trying to keep the EEC institutions’ from the Financial Times (18 April 1978)
TextOn 18 April 1978, the British newspaper Financial Times reports on Luxembourg’s vocation as the permanent capital of the European institutions.
Marcel Mart, The European institutions in Luxembourg
TextThis article by Marcel Mart, President of the European Court of Auditors from 1984 to 1989, concerns Luxembourg’s participation in the struggle for the seat of the European institutions, and forms part of the collection of essays published in 1993 in honour of Pierre Werner.
Speech by Jacques Santer (Luxembourg, 1 April 1993)
TextOn 1 April 1993, at the Cercle municipal in Luxembourg, the ECSC Consultative Committee commemorates the 40th anniversary of its first session, held on 26 January 1953 at Luxembourg town hall. Jacques Santer, Luxembourg Prime Minister from 1984 to 1995, delivers a speech during the ceremony.
Interview with Guy de Muyser: the question of the seats of the European institutions (Luxembourg, 16 June 2009)
VideoIn this interview, Guy de Muyser, diplomat in the Luxembourg Foreign Ministry from 1956 to 1969 and from 1980 to 1991, looks back on the negotiations associated with the seat of the Court of Justice of the European Communities in Luxembourg and the constant involvement of Pierre Werner, Minister of State and President of the Luxembourg Government from 1959 to 1974 and from 1979 to 1984, to make Luxembourg a permanent seat of the European institutions.
Robert Schuman vor dem Sitz der Hohen Behörde (Luxemburg, 9. Mai 1953)
ImageNach einer Veranstaltung zum Gedenken an die „Schuman-Erklärung“ am 9. Mai 1953 treten Jean Monnet (links), Präsident der Hohen Behörde, und Robert Schuman (rechts), Abgeordneter des Departments Moselle, in Luxemburg vor das Gebäude, das die Hohe Behörde der Europäischen Gemeinschaft für Kohle und Stahl (EGKS) beherbergt.
Former home of the ECSC Consultative Committee
ImageFormer home of the ECSC Consultative Committee, Luxembourg.
Former Debating Chamber of the European Parliament in Luxembourg (1979–1981)
ImageDesigned by the architect Pierre Bohler, the Debating Chamber of the European Parliament, situated on the rue du Fort Thüngen in Luxembourg, was formally opened in 1979 as a venue for the holding of plenary sittings until 1981. Since 1981, the Chamber has been an integral part of the Kirchberg Conference Centre.
The European Parliament in Luxembourg
ImageAerial view of the premises occupied by the European Parliament Secretariat in the Kirchberg district of Luxembourg.
Building of the Commission (Jean Monnet Building) in Luxembourg
ImageThe Commission’s Jean Monnet Building, Luxembourg.
Villa Vauban, seat of the Court from 1952 to 1959 (Luxembourg, 1950)
ImageThe ‘Villa Vauban’ in Luxembourg, seat of the Court of Justice of the European Coal and Steel Community from 1952 to 1959.
The Côte d'Eich building, seat of the Court from 1959 to 1972 (Luxembourg, 1959)
ImageIn 1959, the Court of Justice of the European Communities was based in a building located on rue de la Côte d'Eich, Luxembourg, until the 'Palais' of the Court was constructed in 1972 on the Kirchberg plateau.
The Palais Building of the Court of Justice, seat of the Court from 1973 to 1999 (Luxembourg)
ImageThe ‘Palais’ of the Court of Justice, completed in 1972, was the first European institution building to be built on the Kirchberg plateau in Luxembourg.
Former building of the Court of Auditors
ImageFormer building of the European Court of Auditors, 29 rue Aldringen, Luxembourg.
Building of the Court of Auditors
ImageView of the new building of the Court of Auditors, 12 rue Alcide de Gasperi, on the Kirchberg Plateau, Luxembourg. Inaugurated on 7 June 1988, the European Communities acquired ownership of this building on 4 January 1990.
Former building of the European Investment Bank (Luxembourg, 1970)
ImageFrom 1968 to 1980, the European Investment Bank (EIB) held its offices in the building at 2, Place de Metz, Luxembourg. This building, which had been the seat of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) from 1952 to 1968, was purchased in 1968 by the Caisse d'Épargne de l'État de Luxembourg and leased to the EIB until 1980, when the EIB moved to its own premises on the Kirchberg Plateau.
Building of the European Investment Bank (Luxembourg)
ImageThe building of the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg since 1980.