European Community

(Abbr. EC)

An economic and political organization formed from the consolidation of three western European treaty organizations, the European Economic Community, the European Coal and Steel Community, and the European Atomic Energy Community. The treaty establishing the European Community was ratified in 1965 and took effect in 1967. The United Kingdom, Ireland, and Denmark joined in 1973; Greece in 1981; and Spain and Portugal in 1986.

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For more information on European Community, visit Britannica.com.

Economic alliance formed in 1957 by Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands to promote trade and cooperation among its members. Membership was extended to Denmark, Great Britain, and Ireland in 1973, followed by Greece (1981), Portugal and Spain (1986). Tariff barriers and controls on currency flows between member countries were formally abolished in 1992, creating "a Europe without frontiers" and eventual monetary union and a common currency, the Euro. Central staff headquarters of the European Community is located in Brussels, Belgium.

With ratification of the Maastricht Treaty on European Union in 1993, the European Community dropped its previous name, the European Economic Community (EEC). The European Community is closely identified with the European Union an economic and social policy group of which it is a part.

The European Community is one of the three pillars of the European Union (EU). The pillars represent the three different areas of cooperation within the union. The European Community is the first pillar and represents supranational cooperation. The policies within this area allow the EU to issue legislation that directly binds its citizens.

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The second pillar represents foreign and security policy, and the third represents cooperation between EU governments regarding issues related to police, judicial and criminal matters.

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The industrial organization of European countries. See Regulations.

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