ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with the basic institutions of the original European Economic Community. Institutional issues had two aspects, those of the structure and of the functions of the institutions. From the beginning of the negotiations, foreign ministers Spaak (Belgium) and Beyen (Netherlands) realized that the institutions of the community could become a subject of controversy between intergovernmental and supranational advocates. The negotiations about the association of the overseas territories, most former or current colonies of France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy, were short but particularly controversial. With respect to trade, the Community was gradually to open its market to the products of the overseas territories, while these territories would continue to enjoy limited protection from European products. Belgium was the only country other than France to control extensive overseas territories.
