On-line journal no. 4 – July 2012 - Modelling the New Europe

On-line Journal Modelling the New Europe
Issue no. 4/2012
signed on the 25 th March 1957 and ratified on the 1 st January 1958 by the German Federal
Republic, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg is the first ever judicial
document which brings to the table the discussion on the possible elaboration of a
European Regional Policy suitable for the entire Community. Moreover the Preamble of
the Treaty Establishing the European Economic Community brings to light for the first
time the need to create a European Regional Policy which could ensure „an overall
harmonious development as well as a reduction of the disparities between the levels of
development of the various regions”. 65
The development of the European Regional Policy, the creation of a legislative,
institutional, budgetary and implementation framework for this policy will soon prove to
be an extremely difficult and continuously changing process, much like the process of the
European Union itself. The European Communities defined by their structure and
objectives, the Single Market and the Economic and Monetary Union could not ignore the
major differences between the various regions. Such economic, demographical, or
infrastructural disparities demonstrate the fact that not all Community members benefited
from the same advantages. It all depended on the region they were from; therefore a
homogeneous development of the regions became the main objective of the Communities.
Throughout the process of establishing the European Regional Policy we distinguish three
chronologically important stages: the Early Draft of European Regional Policy (1957-
1986), the defined Economic and Social Cohesion Policy (1986-2006) and the current
Cohesion Policy (2007-2013).
The Early Draft of European Regional Policy (1957-1986) represents all the efforts made
by the community’s newly created institutions as well as by the member states with a view
to setting up the necessary framework for this to be implemented. Although in the
historical period 1957-1986 we cannot refer to a self-sufficient European Regional Policy,
we can identify a series of events which have influenced the course of this policy.
Chronologically, these events may be grouped as follows: the need to create a European
65 Treaty Establishing the European Economic Community, 25 th March 1957, Preamble 12,
[http://eurlex.europa.eu/ro/treaties/dat/11957E/word/11957E.doc], 1 st June 2012.
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