ABSTRACT
The European Economic Community (EEC) was established by the Treaty of Rome in 1957 to create a common market and to establish a number of common policies for its member states. To achieve this, trade barriers between the member states and obstacles to the free movement of goods, services, workers and capital had to be eliminated, if necessary by approximating the member states’ national laws. Common policies in agriculture and transport were to be established amongst the member states, a common commercial policy towards the rest of the world was to be agreed and a system ensuring that there was no distortion of competition was to be set up. Community institutions were set up with wide-ranging powers to adopt laws to achieve these aims.
