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As the Second World War came to an end, many of Europe’s leaders grappled with the ‘Question of Europe’. The Second World War shattered many of the assumptions and structures on which the European states had based their relations. In 1945, the European states confronted the ruin of their economies and the destruction of the assumptions and structures on which Europe had been founded.
Following attempts were made that led to the formation of the European Union.
- European integration after 1945 was aided by the Cold War.
- America extended massive financial help for reviving Europe’s economy under what was called the ‘Marshall Plan’.
- The US also created a new collective security structure under NATO.
- Under the Marshall Plan, the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) was established in 1948 to channel aid to the west European states.
- The Council of Europe, established in 1949, was another step forward in political cooperation.
- The process of the economic integration of European Capitalist countries led to the formation of European Economic Community in 1957. This acquired a political dimension with the creation of the European Parliament.
- The collapse of the Soviet bloc put Europe on a fast track and resulted in the establishment of the European Union in 1992.
- The foundation was thus laid for a common foreign and security policy, cooperation on justice and home affairs, and the creation of a single currency.