Exploiting the Gaps: The influence of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community on the Treaties of Rome

Abstract

The historiography of the Treaties of Rome has been dominated by state-centric explanations which view European institutions as instrumental. However, in recent decades, this position has been challenged by new literature re-examining the role of the Common Assembly, suggesting it was more competent to influence the affairs of the European Coal and Steel Community than traditionally assumed. I will build on this research by incorporating it with historical institutionalist analysis. This exposes that in the 1950s, the Assembly’s institutional development created gaps in the member state control. The Assembly was then able to exploit these gaps to influence the Treaties of Rome.