On 2 May 1959, the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) explains how it plans to implement its programme to alleviate the European coal crisis.

In 1959, the ECSC Special Council of Ministers debates how to resolve the coal crisis in Europe.

On 4 May 1959, at a meeting of the Special Council of Ministers of the Six and the Vice-Presidents of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the representative of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) submits to his colleagues a Community plan to resolve the coal crisis and advocates the adoption of special measures to support the Belgian coal industry.

On 4 May 1959, speaking in a personal capacity in a bid to overcome the differences existing between the Six, Jean-Marcel Jeanneney, President-in-Office of the Special Council of Ministers of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), puts forward various suggestions on ways to approximate the different points of view regarding the solution to the European coal crisis.

On 11 May 1959, the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) forwards to the Council of Ministers a plan of action linked to the measures proposed by the Six to combat the European coal crisis.

On 14 May 1959, following the refusal of the Council of Ministers of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) to endorse the action plan put forward by the High Authority, the German representative to the Council sets out various proposals to support the Belgian coal industry.

On 16 May 1959, the French daily newspaper Le Monde comments on the decision taken by the Council of Ministers of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) to refuse the High Authority the right to declare a ‘manifest crisis’ in the European coal sector.