January 1, 1958

European Economic Community

The EEC Treaty enters into force, establishing the European Economic Community

The common market began with no ceremony at all. A calendar clause in Article 247 simply switched the treaty into legal force on New Year's Day.

By operation of a ratification clause

On 1 January 1958 the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community entered into force, creating the EEC for Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

All six had ratified the treaty signed in Rome on 25 March 1957 and deposited their instruments with Italy; the last three — Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands — deposited on 13 December 1957. Article 247's calendar rule did the rest.

This was entry into force, not a signing. The signature was nine months old.

Two treaties took effect, not one

The parallel Euratom Treaty entered into force the same day, creating the European Atomic Energy Community.

Both were Treaties of Rome, and both had been signed in March 1957.

The EEC that came into being was a legal community with common-market obligations — free movement of goods, people, services and capital — not simply an institution or another name for its Commission.

The Community existed before anyone met

No inaugural meeting took place on New Year's Day. The EEC's institutions had legal effect from 1 January, but the new Commission did not assemble until later that month.

Walter Hallstein's Commission began its term on 10 January and held its constituent meeting at Val-Duchesse on 16 January. The EEC Council met for the first time on 25 January.

The Community therefore existed in law for more than two weeks before its executive first sat down together.

Sources

Researched 24 Aug 2026 7 sources not yet audited

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