Abstract
The EU celebrated its fiftieth anniversary of the Rome Treaties this year. This paper reviews the historical process of the negotiations for launching Euratom, using archives of the German government, trade unions, international trade union organisations and the European Communities What role has Euratom played in nuclear issues when the national governments enjoy full sovereignty both in military and civilian use of nuclear technology? This paper looks into the time period between 1950 and 1960, starting from the Pleven Plan proposal in October 1950 to the French acquisition of nuclear weapons in February 1960. Special focus is the idea of Euratom which Jean Monnet and the trade unions shared. It was to keep watch on nuclear armament of European countries, namely West Germany, through Euratom. This idea became the core of the lobbying activity of the Action Committee for the United States of Europe which Monnet launched in 1955. The Action Committee proposed the Europeanisation of nuclear plants of all Member States and also supranational inspection rights of Euratom. The idea was virtually killed by the Suez Crisis in 1956, causing an energy crisis in Europe and therefore making Monnet and the unions tone-down in the debate. The French nuclear armament put an end to this idea, though German nuclear armament was still prevented. The trade unions continued their watch on German rearmament by participating in government committees and economic planning boards on armament issues and nuclear issues.
