In 1960s the EEC had faced two main targets: Deeping and widening of the European Community. The specific context in which these issues emerged had the main point in the French President – Charles

In 1960s the EEC had faced two main targets: Deeping and widening of the European Community. The specific context in which these issues emerged had the main point in the French President – Charles de Gaulle. He supported European Economic Society in general; it might spread French influence over the all of the Western Europe, which was basically divided between France and Germany.

But the 1^st problem id that Charles de Gaulle was extremely interested in keeping French sovereignty and everything, which could damage its influence.

The idea of the Union of states which will bring the EES into a point of newly made intergovernmental organization which could coordinate foreign policy of all of the state members. The idea of creation such organization was faced negatively outside West Germany and was completely rejected in 1962 after the series of meetings. The problem is that some smaller EEC members were concerned with a Franco-German plan, and it was seemed as a try to concentrate power over the whole Europe in the arms of two countries.

The second point of crisis was the fact that after 1958 EEC was a kind of successful trading bloc but which had persuaded other Western European countries that rejected involvement to decrease their opinion and role of their membership. For example, in 1961 UK applied for membership but De Gaulle vetoed this application claimed that British Politics was more close to the USA that the EU. This rejection was made against the wishes of French five partners.

The third point is that according to the Treaty of Rome, EEC had to take some decisions in 1966 about a move to Qualified Majority Voting within the council of ministers and about approving financial arrangements for the Common Agricultural policy. In general, it means giving more to European Parliament, which means decrease of national sovereignty, because the Parliament was a form of substantive power and enhancement of supranationalism.

De Gaulle was not ready to accept that risk for France and kept his veto right in form of being outvoted in key decisions.

In 1965 he provoked a crisis by withdrawing French participation in Council of Ministers.

French actions were seemed as federalists by the level of its political integration. It was off the agenda and development of the European Community would be more as an intergovernmental grouping of independent states.

“The Empty Chair” has some more effects: the economic crisis French elections of 1965 and president of EU commission – Walter Hallstein lost his job.

The Luxembourg Compromise of 6 states ended “the empty chair crisis”. It states that in cases of vital national interest of one of the member states, the Council has to find consensus solution in three issues: CAP’s self-financing postponed, budgetary control of Europe and informal veto when a majority decision might affect crucial national members.

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