In this interview, Charles Rutten, former member of the Netherlands Delegation to the Intergovernmental Committee established by the Messina Conference, outlines the procedures adopted by the Spaak Committee with a view to the drawing up of a report on the establishment of a European Common Market.

On 8 September 1955, the Netherlands socialist daily newspaper Het Vrije Volk comments on the decisions adopted by the Foreign Ministers of the six Member States of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), who met two days earlier in Noordwijk (The Hague), and particularly focuses on the agenda for the work of the Intergovernmental Committee established by the Messina Conference (the Spaak Committee).

On 6 September 1955, the Foreign Ministers of the six Member States of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) meet in Noordwijk to examine the efforts made to revive the European integration process.

On 14 October 1955, the French delegation to the Intergovernmental Committee set up with a view to relaunching European integration sends the Committee a memorandum in which it sets out the arrangements to be made for the establishment of a single Common Market.

On 24 October 1955, the Expert Group forwards to the Spaak Committee’s Heads of Delegation an initial working memorandum concerning the conditions for the establishment of the Common Market.

On 11 and 12 February 1956, the Foreign Ministers of the six Member States of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) meet in Brussels to draw up an initial assessment of the work of the Intergovernmental Committee established by the Messina Conference.

On 13 March 1956, Paul-Henri Spaak, Belgian Foreign Minister, makes a statement to the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in which, emphasising the importance of a Common Market based on a customs union between the Six, he gives a progress report on the work of the Intergovernmental Committee, which he chairs, set up in connection with the revival of European integration.

On 5 July 1955, the French Foreign Ministry draws up a confidential document in which it sets out its general instructions to the French Delegation participating in Brussels in the work of the Intergovernmental Committee set up by the Messina Conference.

On 21 April 1956, the Intergovernmental Committee established by the Messina Conference held on 1 and 2 June 1955 submits its report to the governments of the ECSC Member States. This document, known as the ‘Spaak Report’, includes proposals regarding the aim, resources and organisation of an investment fund which would seek to establish conditions for the balanced, smooth development of the Common Market.

On 8 June 1956, the Foreign Ministers of the six Member States of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) adopt the draft minutes that record the positions of each of the national delegations on the Common Market and Euratom as set out on 29 May 1956 during the opening of the Venice Conference on the revival of European integration.

On 17 May 1956, Christian Calmes, Secretary-General of the Special Council of Ministers of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), emphasises to Johan Willem Beyen, Netherlands Foreign Minister, the need to establish a post of Political Coordinator for the forthcoming diplomatic discussions on the Common Market and Euratom which, in his view, should constitute a single conference.

On 26 May 1956, Ludwig Erhard, German Minister for Economic Affairs, informs Heinrich von Brentano, German Foreign Minister, of the German Delegation’s priorities for the conference on European revival, due to be held in Venice on 29 and 30 May 1956.

On 30 May 1956, following the conference in Venice on European revival, Walter Hallstein, Junior Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), informs his government of the decisions taken by the Six and the position of the national delegations during the negotiations.