Europe | From the archive

Happy birthday

The Treaty of Rome was signed 30 years ago on March 25th. Our Brussels correspondent looks at how the European Community has grown up, and at the decisions facing it as it approaches middle age

Mar 21st 1987|

It is easy to be gloomy about the EEC's present predicament. Financially, the Community is almost bankrupt, yet member governments are reluctant to pay more. It is falling behind America and Japan in the high-tech race, yet France, West Germany and Britain are blocking a move to raise spending on joint research-and-development projects. It is groaning under huge and unsellable food surpluses, yet West Germany has made its opposition to a 2% cut in farm prices a matter of national dignity.

Reuse this content