The High Authority was the executive branch of the former European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). It was created in 1951 and disbanded in 1967 when it was merged into the European Commission.
History
The High Authority was at the core of the idea of the ECSC. It was to be an independent, supranational executive checked by a Common Assembly. There were concerns about this power, leading to a Council (of governments) and Parliament (of MPs) to be created to act as a counterweight. The inaugural sitting of the Authority was held in Luxembourg's city hall on 10 August 1952. Jean Monnet, the architect of the ECSC, was elected as its first President.
The supranational power exercised by the Authority did prompt suspicion by some, for example the government of France who ensured that in the European Economic Community (EEC) and European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) more power would be in the hands of the council.
The Merger Treaty came into force in 1967; this combined the independent institutions of the ECSC and Euratom with those of the EEC. From that time the High Authority ceased to exist, its duties being taken on by the Commission of the European Communities. The administration of Rinaldo Del Bo ended before the merger so an interim President was appointed to oversee the merger, Albert Coppé. The Authority met for the last time on 28 June 1967.
Signed In force Document | 1951 1952 Paris Treaty | 1957 1958 Rome treaties | 1965 1967 Merger Treaty | 2007 2009 Lisbon Treaty |
Commission of the European Atomic Energy Community | Commission of the European Communities | European Commission | ||
High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community | ||||
Commission of the European Economic Community | ||||
Powers
The Authority's principal innovation was its supranational character. It had a broad area of competence to ensure the objectives of the treaty were met and that the common market functioned smoothly. The High Authority could issue three types of legal instruments: Decisions, which were entirely binding laws; Recommendations, which had binding aims but with methods left to member states; and Opinions, which had no legal force.
Composition
The body consisted of nine members, nearly all appointed from the member states. The larger states, France, Germany and Italy, appointed two members each with the three smaller states, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands appointing one member each. The ninth member was the President, who was appointed by the eight other members.
Despite being appointed by national governments, the members were not supposed to represent their national interest, but rather took an oath to defend the general interests of the Community as a whole. Their independence was aided by members being barred from having any occupation outside the Authority or having any business interests.
President
The President was elected by the other appointed members, rather than directly by member states (as is the case of the current Commission President). The first president was Jean Monnet.
N. | Portrait | President (Born–Died) | State | Took office | Left office | Authority | Party | Group | Electoral mandate | Refs | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | Jean Monnet (1888–1979) | ![]() | 10 August 1952 | 3 June 1955 | Monnet | Independent | None | – | ||
2 years, 297 days | |||||||||||
2 | ![]() | René Mayer (1897–1965) | ![]() | 3 June 1955 | 13 January 1958 | Mayer | PR | None | – | ||
2 years, 224 days | |||||||||||
3 | ![]() | Paul Finet (1897–1995) | ![]() | 13 January 1958 | 15 September 1959 | Finet | Independent | None | – | ||
1 year, 246 days | |||||||||||
4 | ![]() | Piero Malvestiti (1899–1964) | ![]() | 15 September 1959 | 22 October 1963 | Malvestiti | DC | None | – | ||
4 years, 51 days | |||||||||||
5 | ![]() | Rinaldo Del Bo (1916–1991) | ![]() | 22 October 1963 | 1 March 1967 | Del Bo | DC | None | – | ||
3 years, 130 days | |||||||||||
6 | ![]() | Albert Coppé (1911–1999) | ![]() | 1 March 1967 | 5 July 1967 | Coppé | CD&V | None | – | ||
126 days |
Location

The headquarters of the High Authority were in Luxembourg city, the seat of most ECSC institutions. This was only intended as the provisional seat as no formal agreement was reached at the ECSC's conference in 1952.
Luxembourg had proposed it be the provisional seat (except for the Common Assembly which was to be in Strasbourg) until an agreement was reached. Future executives, the Commissions of the EEC and Euratom, would eventually be based in Brussels.
The High Authority first had its offices in hotels, initially the Hôtel des Forges in Chateau de Beggen and then the Hôtel Grand-Chef in Mondorf-les-Bains. In 1953 it moved to the former seat of Luxembourg Railways on Place de Metz in Luxembourg, a grand building that later hosted the European Investment Bank from 1968 to 1980 and, since 1987, headquarters offices of the Banque et Caisse d'Épargne de l'État.
See also
- European Commission
- European Coal and Steel Community
- Institutions of the European Union
- Location of European Union institutions
- History of the European Communities (1945-1957)
- History of the European Communities (1958-1972)
- European Union law
Notes
- "Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community, ECSC Treaty". Europa (web portal). Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2007.
- "European Parliament". CVCE. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- "Council of the European Union". CVCE. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- "Address given by Jean Monnet (Luxembourg City Hall, 10 August 1952)". CVCE. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- "Merging of the executives". CVCE. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- "European Commission". CVCE. Retrieved 26 April 2004.
- "Members of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)". CVCE. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- "Final meeting of the ECSC Luxembourg, 28 June 1967". CVCE. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- "The Treaties establishing the European Communities". CVCE. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- "The seats of the institutions of the European Union". CVCE. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- "Seat of the European Commission". CVCE. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
- "Former building of the European Investment Bank (Luxembourg, 1970)". CVCE.eu. 8 November 2011.
External links
- Documents of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community are consultable at the Historical Archives of the EU in Florence.
- Members of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), CVCE
- Organisation chart of the ECSC High Authority (June 1967), CVCE
- Administrative organisation of the High Authority, CVCE
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The High Authority was the executive branch of the former European Coal and Steel Community ECSC It was created in 1951 and disbanded in 1967 when it was merged into the European Commission Former headquarters of the High Authority on Place de Metz in LuxembourgHistoryThe High Authority was at the core of the idea of the ECSC It was to be an independent supranational executive checked by a Common Assembly There were concerns about this power leading to a Council of governments and Parliament of MPs to be created to act as a counterweight The inaugural sitting of the Authority was held in Luxembourg s city hall on 10 August 1952 Jean Monnet the architect of the ECSC was elected as its first President The supranational power exercised by the Authority did prompt suspicion by some for example the government of France who ensured that in the European Economic Community EEC and European Atomic Energy Community Euratom more power would be in the hands of the council The Merger Treaty came into force in 1967 this combined the independent institutions of the ECSC and Euratom with those of the EEC From that time the High Authority ceased to exist its duties being taken on by the Commission of the European Communities The administration of Rinaldo Del Bo ended before the merger so an interim President was appointed to oversee the merger Albert Coppe The Authority met for the last time on 28 June 1967 Signed In force Document 1951 1952 Paris Treaty 1957 1958 Rome treaties 1965 1967 Merger Treaty 2007 2009 Lisbon Treaty Commission of the European Atomic Energy Community Commission of the European Communities European Commission High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community Commission of the European Economic Community vtePowersThe Authority s principal innovation was its supranational character It had a broad area of competence to ensure the objectives of the treaty were met and that the common market functioned smoothly The High Authority could issue three types of legal instruments Decisions which were entirely binding laws Recommendations which had binding aims but with methods left to member states and Opinions which had no legal force CompositionThe body consisted of nine members nearly all appointed from the member states The larger states France Germany and Italy appointed two members each with the three smaller states Belgium Luxembourg and the Netherlands appointing one member each The ninth member was the President who was appointed by the eight other members Despite being appointed by national governments the members were not supposed to represent their national interest but rather took an oath to defend the general interests of the Community as a whole Their independence was aided by members being barred from having any occupation outside the Authority or having any business interests President The President was elected by the other appointed members rather than directly by member states as is the case of the current Commission President The first president was Jean Monnet N Portrait President Born Died State Took office Left office Authority Party Group Electoral mandate Refs 1 Jean Monnet 1888 1979 France 10 August 1952 3 June 1955 Monnet Independent None 2 years 297 days 2 Rene Mayer 1897 1965 France 3 June 1955 13 January 1958 Mayer PR None 2 years 224 days 3 Paul Finet 1897 1995 Belgium 13 January 1958 15 September 1959 Finet Independent None 1 year 246 days 4 Piero Malvestiti 1899 1964 Italy 15 September 1959 22 October 1963 Malvestiti DC None 4 years 51 days 5 Rinaldo Del Bo 1916 1991 Italy 22 October 1963 1 March 1967 Del Bo DC None 3 years 130 days 6 Albert Coppe 1911 1999 Belgium 1 March 1967 5 July 1967 Coppe CD amp V None 126 daysLocationMemorial plaque on the former Hotel Grand Chef The headquarters of the High Authority were in Luxembourg city the seat of most ECSC institutions This was only intended as the provisional seat as no formal agreement was reached at the ECSC s conference in 1952 Luxembourg had proposed it be the provisional seat except for the Common Assembly which was to be in Strasbourg until an agreement was reached Future executives the Commissions of the EEC and Euratom would eventually be based in Brussels The High Authority first had its offices in hotels initially the Hotel des Forges in Chateau de Beggen and then the Hotel Grand Chef in Mondorf les Bains In 1953 it moved to the former seat of Luxembourg Railways on Place de Metz in Luxembourg a grand building that later hosted the European Investment Bank from 1968 to 1980 and since 1987 headquarters offices of the Banque et Caisse d Epargne de l Etat See alsoEuropean Commission European Coal and Steel Community Institutions of the European Union Location of European Union institutions History of the European Communities 1945 1957 History of the European Communities 1958 1972 European Union lawNotes Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community ECSC Treaty Europa web portal Archived from the original on 13 December 2007 Retrieved 9 October 2007 European Parliament CVCE Retrieved 26 April 2013 Council of the European Union CVCE Retrieved 26 April 2013 Address given by Jean Monnet Luxembourg City Hall 10 August 1952 CVCE Retrieved 26 April 2013 Merging of the executives CVCE Retrieved 26 April 2013 European Commission CVCE Retrieved 26 April 2004 Members of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community ECSC CVCE Retrieved 26 April 2013 Final meeting of the ECSC Luxembourg 28 June 1967 CVCE Retrieved 26 April 2013 The Treaties establishing the European Communities CVCE Retrieved 26 April 2013 The seats of the institutions of the European Union CVCE Retrieved 26 April 2013 Seat of the European Commission CVCE Retrieved 26 April 2013 Former building of the European Investment Bank Luxembourg 1970 CVCE eu 8 November 2011 External linksDocuments of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community are consultable at the Historical Archives of the EU in Florence Members of the High Authority of the European Coal and Steel Community ECSC CVCE Organisation chart of the ECSC High Authority June 1967 CVCE Administrative organisation of the High Authority CVCE