Walter Hallstein and negotiations on the Shuman plan (1950-1951)

After the Second World War peace was the main task on the agenda of all countries. The political integration of Europe was regarded as an important project for overcoming nationalism that had led to such devastating results. One of the steps to European integration was the reconciliation between France and Germany through the initiative of French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman, which was devised by the head of the French Planning Agency, Jean Monnet. From the German side this idea was eagerly supported by German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer who had assigned Professor Walter Hallstein responsible for European policy of the Federal Republic of Germany. Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg had positively reacted on this proposal. Negotiations on the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) began under direction of the most experienced negotiators from the six countries. The author's thesis is that Walter Hallstein as head of German delegation on the Schuman Plan negotiations always followed Adenauer's instructions and played an outstanding role alongside with Jean Monnet in pursuing the idea of federative character of the future institutions. He made a great contribution to the final compromise on the Treaty of Paris on the ECSC on April 18, 1951. The author shows that in the process of negotiations Walter Hallstein saved the situation several times, when talks were under the threat of failure. Thus, he supported Monnet's proposals on step-by-step delegation of powers to the ''High Authority'' of the ECSC in the face of frequent opposition from representatives of national governments, particularly the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. At that time only Hallstein's support and ability to persuade people helped Monnet to continue the negotiations. The author examines Hallstein's ideas of the institutional model of the organization, for example, the idea of a permanent Court of ECSC. As Professor of law he gave great consideration to the judicial body and worked on allotting it with the functions of constitutional, administrative and arbitration court. He struggled for a legal community based on law. The author concludes that Walter Hallstein was one of the inventors and main architects of the ECSC whose support of ''supranational'' elements of the new Community was stipulated by rational understanding of the necessity for further European integration of the FRG and for integration of Europe as the whole.

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