ABSTRACT
By 1950 the arrangements made after the second World War to defend the free world and to rebuild Europe had been replaced by more permanent agreements on tariffs and trade (GATT), on economic co-operation (OEEC) and on defence (NATO). The United States, which was providing western Europe with Marshall Aid on a generous scale, strongly advised the European states to remove the barriers that restricted trade between them. Those who favoured European integration proposed the establishment of three ‘Communities’ to be responsible for defence, trade and political affairs. The Council of Europe had been set up in 1949 with a committee of ministers and an Assembly of European parliamentarians. It was, however, a purely advisory body.
