Treaty on European Union

About the Author

No individual, or even any small group of individuals, wrote the Treaty on European Union. The treaty is a lengthy legal document that consists in large part of revisions and amendments to earlier agreements, particularly that of the ECSC. Many of these revisions are minor, involving the insertion or alteration of words and phrases, while others are more substantial. These revisions and amendments, as well as new provisions, were negotiated among the member nations, with government officials, jurists, trade negotiators, and their staffs meeting and agreeing on the revisions and new policies falling within their various areas of expertise. All of this activity took place under the authority and supervision of the heads of state (either monarchs or presidents) of each of the member countries. These heads of state designated plenipotentiaries, or diplomats empowered to conduct business, who signed the treaty. In every case, the diplomat was a minister of foreign affairs, a minister of finance (or the treasury), or a secretary of state.