Brussels Treaty

by Christopher Hornek

TREATY OF ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL COLLABORATION AND COLLECTIVE SELF-DEFENCE

Signed at Brussels on March 17, 1948, among

· Kingdom of Belgium

· French Republic

· Duchy of Luxembourg

· Kingdom of Netherlands

· United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Summary of Treaty
Goals as set forth in Preamble:
To reaffirm fundamental human rights, and the other ideals proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations;

To fortify and preserve the principles of democracy, personal freedom and political liberty, the constitutional traditions and the rule of law, which are their common heritage;

To strengthen, with these aims in view, the economic, social and cultural ties by which they are already united;

To co-operate loyally and to co-ordinate their efforts to create in Western Europe a firm basis for European economic recovery;

To afford assistance to each other, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, in maintaining international peace and security and in resisting any policy of aggression;

To take such steps as may be necessary in the event of a renewal by Germany of a policy of aggression;

To associate in the pursuance of these aims other States inspired by the same ideals;

Desiring to conclude a treaty for collaboration in economic, social and cultural matters and for collective self-defence;
ARTICLE I
1) The Parties will organize and co-ordinate their economic activities
2) By the elimination of conflict in their economic policies, the co-ordination of production and the development of commercial exchanges
ARTICLE II
1) The Parties will make every effort in common, to attain a higher standard of living by their peoples
2) Establish specialized agencies to help in recommendation & coordination, relating to social matters
3) To conclude as soon as possible conventions with each other in the sphere of social security
ARTICLE III
1) To lead their peoples towards a better understanding of the principles which form the basis of their common civilization, by promoting cultural exchanges
ARTICLE IV
1) If any of the Parties should be the object of an armed attack in Europe, the other Parties will, in accordance with the provisions of Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, afford the Party so attacked all the military and other aid and assistance in their power
ARTICLE V
1) All measures shall be immediately reported to the Security Council. They shall be terminated as soon as the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security
2) The present Treaty does not supercede the UN Charter, which allows the Security Council to exercise its supreme power in restoring international peace and security
ARTICLE VI
1) No treaty member is allowed to be engaged in an international agreement, with whomever, if it conflicts with the provisions of the present Treaty
2) No treaty member may conclude any alliance or participate in any coalition directed against any other of the Parties
ARTICLE VII
1) The Parties will create a Consultative Council, which shall consult with regard to any situation and in any area, which may constitute a threat to peace, and the steps to be taken in case of a renewal by Germany of an aggressive policy; or with regard to any situation constituting a danger to economic stability
ARTICLE VIII
1) The Parties decide to settle all disputes by peaceful means only, and will apply to disputes between themselves the Statute of the International Court of Justice
ARTICLE IX
1) The Parties may, by agreement, invite any other State to accede to the present Treaty

ARTICLE X
1) After the expiry of the period of fifty years, each of the Contracting Parties shall have the right to cease to be a party thereto, provided that he shall have previously given one year's notice of denunciation to the Belgian Government
Why Brussels Treaty:
-Mounting Soviet threat, and hardening division of the Continent the Brussels Five-took the first steps both to organize their joint defence and to lay the broader foundations for their future cooperation-in what is sometimes called the Brussels Pact, which opened the way to NATO and to WEU, and to European Security as it is today
-Yet the Treaty mentions Germany specifically as a threat, not the Soviets, from'45-'49 the future of Europe was unclear, and reminds of Lord Ismail's quote about the post WWII European security structure (especially after NATO has formed): "to keep the Americans in, the Russians out, and the Germans down"
-Formation of NATO, (Brussels 5+US, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Italy, and Portugal) talks between the Five and the United States and Canada began shortly afterwards, leading to the signature of the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington on April 4, 1949, US perspective would be that the only after the Europeans organized themselves, or the UK organized them, was it proper to create the Transatlantic Alliance
-Question of German Integration into emerging security structure, French proposal of a European Army led to the signature of the European Defence Community (EDC) Treaty signed among the Brussels 5 & the Federal Republic of German in 1954. However, the French National Assembly refused to ratify the Treaty. The failure of the EDC meant that an alternative way had to be found to integrate the Federal Republic of Germany into the Western security system.
-At a special London Conference in September 1954 and attended by the Brussels 5, the United States, and Canada, it was decided that the Federal Republic of Germany and Italy would be invited to join the Brussels Treaty. This was formalized by the Paris Agreements, signed in October 1954, which amended the Brussels Treaty, creating the Western European Union (WEU) as a new international organization. European Axis powers had been integrated
-When NATO/SHAPE were established, military planning was to be transferred to NATO, its role in the areas of economic, social and cultural cooperation were lost to the Council of Europe
-Rome Declaration, 1984: Began work on the definition of a European Security Identity and the gradual harmonization of its members' defence policies were among the stated objectives. Bi-annual meetings at ministerial level with the participation of Defence as well as Foreign Ministers
-In December 1991, the Treaty on European Union and the parallel WEU Maastricht Declaration were the basis for WEU-EU relations in the period 1991-1997. The Treaty established a common foreign and security policy, which was to "include all questions related to the security of the European Union, including the eventual framing of a common defence policy, which might in time lead to a common defence". TEU provided for a request of WEU "to elaborate and implement decisions and actions of the Union which have defence implications." In its Maastricht Declaration, WEU stated its readiness to respond to such requests.
-Meeting on June 1992 at Petersberg near Bonn, the WEU Foreign & Defence Ministers convened to consider the implementation of the Maastricht Declaration. They took a major step forward in defining WEU's operational role. They defined the "Petersberg tasks" (humanitarian and rescue tasks, peacekeeping tasks, tasks of combat forces in crisis management, including peacemaking) and agreed to designate forces answerable to WEU.
-In 1997, with the conclusion of the Amsterdam Treaty revising the TEU, the WEU was drawn closer to the EU. The WEU's role was to provide the EU with access to operational capability was confirmed, the Petersberg tasks were incorporated into the EU Treaty and the possibility of the integration of WEU into the EU, should the European Council so decide
- So this explains the concept of Sleeping Beauty-as for years the WEU sat alone, then in the 1990's with the TEU, CFSP, & Petersberg Tasks to Paper Tiger, and then with the AT & (C)ESDP it went to Empty Shell