Charles de Gaulle had very different views of what the EEC should be than the other five leaders. This became blatantly apparent in 1965 when the funding for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), came up for renewal. There was a push for the Community to gather their own resources and to implement more Qualified Majority Voting (QMV). This led to de Gaulle and the Gaullists to clash with the commission and other heads of state. This disagreement led to what is known as the Empty Chair Crisis and the Luxembourg compromise which slowed integration and supranationalism in the EEC, and ultimately made a large impact on the EEC going forward.
The Common Agricultural Policy was originally passed in 1962 after the French managed to persuade the other …show more content…
In his speech given on the 9th of September 1965 de Gaulle states “a European federation in which… the countries would lose their national personalities… contradicts all reality.” This quote shows just how strongly de Gaulle disagreed with the direction the other members of the Community.
The proposition to allow the EEC to begin raising its own taxes and levies was very troubling to de Gaulle. This new system would take away the six states ability to set their own taxes on industrial and agricultural products. This lessening of states sovereignty is a completely unacceptable proposition, De Gaulle states “[France] could in no way accept the loss of [its] sovereignty.” The other members of the Community disagree and believe that this is the way the EEC should be moving according to the original treaty, and a step further towards …show more content…
It was determined in the compromise that if an issue comes up “where vital interests are at stake” it would need unanimous voting. This was a very loose definition which has had a major effect on the EEC and even the UN. It allowed for a veto to still be used essentially whenever a member believed there were vital interests . Over time some areas of legislation became defined as being vital interests, which meant they would always have to be decided unanimously. Another outcome of the Luxembourg Compromise was the slowing down of European Integration. By removing QMV de Gaulle slowed down not only the decision-making process of the Council, but also the supranationalism of the EEC. These effects both led to a set back in the process of Europe becoming a more integrated political and economic
The Common Agricultural Policy was originally passed in 1962 after the French managed to persuade the other …show more content…
In his speech given on the 9th of September 1965 de Gaulle states “a European federation in which… the countries would lose their national personalities… contradicts all reality.” This quote shows just how strongly de Gaulle disagreed with the direction the other members of the Community.
The proposition to allow the EEC to begin raising its own taxes and levies was very troubling to de Gaulle. This new system would take away the six states ability to set their own taxes on industrial and agricultural products. This lessening of states sovereignty is a completely unacceptable proposition, De Gaulle states “[France] could in no way accept the loss of [its] sovereignty.” The other members of the Community disagree and believe that this is the way the EEC should be moving according to the original treaty, and a step further towards …show more content…
It was determined in the compromise that if an issue comes up “where vital interests are at stake” it would need unanimous voting. This was a very loose definition which has had a major effect on the EEC and even the UN. It allowed for a veto to still be used essentially whenever a member believed there were vital interests . Over time some areas of legislation became defined as being vital interests, which meant they would always have to be decided unanimously. Another outcome of the Luxembourg Compromise was the slowing down of European Integration. By removing QMV de Gaulle slowed down not only the decision-making process of the Council, but also the supranationalism of the EEC. These effects both led to a set back in the process of Europe becoming a more integrated political and economic