European Union Studies Working Group

X^th Extraordinary Session – May 18, 2012, 15h - 17h, HAEU (Piazza Edison 11)

The Rome Treaty negotiations: The elephant in the field?

by Jean-Marie Palayret (Director, HAEU) 

&

 Federico Romero (Professor, HEC)

Abstract: No EU Studies without EU. This is why in this extraordinary session, which will take place on the premises of the Historical Archives of the European Union (see here), we will take a look back in time to how the EU started. The session will be kicked off by a short presentation on the documents available in the HAEU concerning the negotiation of the Rome Treaties (especially the TEEC) by Dr. Jean-Marie Palayret, Director of the HAEU. After this Prof. Romero, Professor of History of Post-War European Cooperation and Integration, will be presenting the wider (political) context of the negotiations. Both will in turn be available for an informal discussion with the audience and for questions and comments. In sum the session shall serve to unlock the potential of the HAEU by taking the historical perspective. The Rome Treaty negotiations are relevant, one way or another, for practically every scholar of the EU. When not taken into consideration in the EU Studies, they risk becoming the 'elephant in the field'.