Dear Speech Repository Community,
On this day, 9th May, we mark the 72nd anniversary of the Schuman Declaration.
Robert Schuman, the foreign minister of France, presented the text of what is now referred to as the Schuman Declaration on 9th May 1950. This doctrine paved the way for what would later become the European Union – a new form of political cooperation in post-war Europe.
The European Economic Community (EEC), a regional organisation that aimed to bring about economic integration among its member states, preceded the European Union. It was created by the Treaty of Rome in 1957. Upon the formation of the European Union in 1993, the EEC was incorporated and renamed to European Community (EC). In 2009, the EC's institutions were absorbed into the European Union's wider framework and the community ceased to exist.
The founding countries of EEC were Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany.
The Treaty of Lisbon, which came into force on 1st January 2009, is the latest Treaty of the European Union, which amends the Maastricht Treaty (1992) and the Treaty of Rome (1957).
"Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity", reads the text of the Schuman declaration, a message more powerful now than ever.
If you wish to find out more about the EU’s events and activities taking place on 9th May, we encourage you to look here.
We invite you to check out the following speeches:
FR Jean Monnet | Speech Repository (europa.eu)
SL Slavnostna seja | Speech Repository (europa.eu)
EN EU - Youth Summit (Part 1 of 6) | Speech Repository (europa.eu)
EN EU Summit Berlin | Speech Repository (europa.eu)
Happy practising and happy Europe day to all of you!