Britain as an Awkward Partner in the European Community...

Britain as an Awkward Partner in the European Community Britain emerged from the war in a relatively favourable position, compared to its European neighbours. In 1946 industrial production was as high as at any time pre-war, and increasing quite fast. By the end of the year exports had regained their pre-war level along with this there was little unemployment and retail prices remained fairly stable. All this contrasted strongly with the situation in France, Germany and Italy. Indeed in the late 1940s and into the early 1950s Britains economy performed better then its European counterparts. Churchill suggested that France and West Germany should lead the creation of a new Europe for justice,†¦show more content†¦The official line on Britains non-entry being ,we are not willing to make prior commitment to a scheme whose terms of membership are unknown. This also underlines the fact that Britain wanted to continue as before and thought it could, at the time Britain was producing about one half of the coal and steel in Europe. Right from the conception of the European union Britain has stood aloof from the union being very cautious and wary. From as far back as the creation of the European Steel and Coal Community in 1952 Britain has shown its unwillingness and reservations about joining Europe. The ECSC was set up under the Treaty of Paris in 1951 with 6 countries signing. These countries were France, Italy, Luxemburg, Holland and Belgium. Britain was expected to join the ECSC but this was not the case. Britain at the time had a far superior economy in strength than the rest of its European counterparts and felt the union would only inhibit them Economically. In 1955 a congress was held on the creation of a general customs union, to which Britain did not deem important enough to send more than a civil servant. 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