Overcoming the crises

• The Paris Summit
• The first Lomé Accords
• Creation of the European Monetary System
• First elections to the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage
• Ariane, a success for European cooperation
• Greece becomes a member of the European Communities
• The European Council at Fontainebleau brings an end to the budget crisis
• Helmut Kohl and François Mitterrand shake hands at Verdun

• Home
• The origins of the European idea
• The European idea at the beginning of the 20th century
• The beginnings of European integration
• From the Six to the Nine
• The relaunch of the European idea
• The birth of 'political union'

In the 1970s, Europe felt the full force of the international monetary crisis and the sharp oil price increases. Faced with severe economic difficulties, the Member States reacted in an uncoordinated manner. On several occasions, the unity of the Communities was called into question. But little by little, a concerted response to the crisis came into place, symbolised by the quarterly sessions of the European Council. In spite of this crisis, the Nine seemed determined to resume or intensify their political cooperation. But apart from renewed collaboration in the monetary field, the results were modest.

1974