On 9 May 1950, Robert Schuman, then French Minister of Foreign Affairs, proposed, in what is now known as the Schuman Declaration, the idea of a European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). He spoke to a Europe reeling from war and his aim was to fuse the economic foundations of the major European states to the point where war became "not merely unthinkable, but materially impossible".
One year later the Community was formally founded by six countries - France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Now the EU has 25 member states, with others queuing to join and an internal market in goods and services which cements European peace with the glue of economic interdependence.
European Parliament President Josep Borrell will lead a commemoration of 60 years of peace in Europe at the opening of the Strasbourg plenary session on 9 May 2005.
