"3 European Integration was conceived out of a deeply held conviction never to repeat the suffering caused by the two world wars. The first step towards integration was achieved in 1950 when the French and Germans removed their national control over the coal and steel industry placing it under the control of a supranational body called the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) that was independent of both nations. It would now be nearly impossible for the French and the Germans to ever go to War with each other again. In 1951 six nations France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy and the Federal Republic of Germany all joined the ECSC giving their decision making power to a "high authority" capable of making decisions without the consent of the member states. By March 1957 these six countries signed treaties forming the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Eurotom). The EEC was a customs union, no duties were to be levied on trade goods between the member states and a common external tariff would be applied to all non-member nations. By 1973 Switzerland, Portugal, Austria, Sweden and Finland had all signed free trade agreements with the EEC and the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark joined. Together the EEC, EAEC and the ECSC became known jointly as the European Community (EC). The EC made very little progress towards integrating until 1986 with the signing of the Single European Act (Single Act). The main objectives of the single act were to promote the implementation of a single European market where persons, goods, services, and capital can move freely from country to country. In 1991 the Luxembourg presidency presented a proposal for a future EU based on Three pillars the existing European Community, A new common and external security policy, and cooperation in the area of internal policy and justice.4 The first and strongest of the pillars the EC was to be the only one controlled by a supranational federal body the other two were to have an intergovernmental structure.
