... mind, the European Coal and Steel Community was founded in 1952, which joined together France, Germany, Italy and the Benelux countries. The United Kingdom declined to join. Ideas for creating a Defence Community and a Political Community were dropped in the early 1950's because they were met with opposition from the French Parliament. The six members of the Coal and Steel Community took the next step towards European integration when they all signed the Treaties of Rome, which created the EEC and the Euratom. The objective of the EEC was to obtain freedom of movement for goods and services within Europe, to lift unnecessary barriers to trade and to remove some of the infamous 'red-tape' that bound so many countries' importing and exporting abilities. Common policies were created on agriculture, transport, competition, external trade, and the harmonisation of legislation. The Treaty of Rome also set up the European Commission, the European Parliament, ...

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