| In the process of European integration, early 1950抯 was an important period.During this period, European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and European Defence Community (EDC) appeared. French foreign minister Robert Schuman stated on May 9,1950 that West Europe should integrate their coal and steel industry. France, Germany and other nations signed the ECSC treaty on April 18,1951. ECSC was thus set up. ECSC had epoch梞aking significance in the European integration. It initiated supranational integration in the giver fields and it started the reconciliation of the two nations, France and Germany. In October the same year, French Prime Minister Pleven suggested that European nations should set up a united European army in which Germany also be a partner. Through arduous negotiation France and other five nations signed European defence Community (EDC) treaty on May 27,1952. Since it is the external force that led to the emergence of the European Defence Community, that is, the intense situation caused by korea war and the pressure of USA for German rearmament. The construction of a united European army was inconsistent with European reality. French Parliament voted down the EDC treaty finally. National interest, national sovereignty and some nation抯 attitude restricted and affected the development of European integration. The success of the ECSC and the failure of the EDC indicated that European integration can only advance on the basis of the sovereign nations, especially in the fields of politics, military and foreign affairs. Common foreign and safety policies of European Union are still based on the intergovernmental cooperation. The development of the European integration must be under the control of national states. European integration must be beneficial to member states. Till now, the European Union is still a union of sovereign nations. The road of European integration would be very long and complicated.
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