A precondition for economic integration? European debates on social harmonisation in the 1950s and 1960s

Chapter 4, by Lorenzo Mechi, reconstructs the spread of the quest for social harmonisation after World War II, in connection with trade liberalisation promoted by the Organization for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) in 1948. Raised by various state and non-state actors, it became one of the most controversial points at the negotiations for the Treaty on the European Economic Community (EEC), established in 1957. In this framework, the discussions resulted in the substantial denial of any need for social harmonisation to accompany the European Common Market. Yet the issue remained on the EEC agenda. As the implementation of the common market advanced, the European Commission started regularly urging the EEC member states to concretely work for social harmonisation, focusing particularly on the improvement of their record of ratification of the ILO conventions.