First International Passport Europe
First International (European) passports for Steel-Coal Community officials, Luxembourg – 7 October 1953

Steel-Coal Community officials go through customs and show their national passports. At the Steel-Coal Community headquarters in Luxembourg, M. Jean Monnet hands over their new European passports to several of his organization’s staff. After the ceremony, Mr. Reinz (Dutch) chief of Transport Department of Community receives his passport. Mr. Belladore-Pallieri, Chief of Community’s Staff, also has a European passport. It seems the staff got all a European Commission Laissez-Passer. The video has no sound.

Below address was given by Jean Monnet (7 October 1953) First International Passport Europe

“I am delighted to see here the representatives of the Community institutions, as well as Mr. Kunnen, Director of the Luxembourg Customs, and Colonel Gilson, commander of our Luxembourg gendarme forces, who will be responsible for giving instructions to make sure that the holders of these passports can cross borders as freely as if they were citizens, not just of Luxembourg but of all the Community countries.

As you know, the Coal and Steel Community has already established the free movement of goods between the six Community countries. Today, however, the initiative takes a crucial step – enabling the free movement of individuals. Though starting modestly, limited to Community officials, it marks a promising commencement. Anyone bearing this document will be able to cross the old borders of the six countries as if he or she were a citizen of those six countries. First International Passport Europe

And further…

It is the first European passport. I am going to sign this document for the first time and issue it to the representatives of the Community institutions. Mr. Ernst, Deputy Secretary of the High Authority, I hand you your European passport. Mr [Deneré], Secretary of the Common Assembly of the Community, I hand you your European passport, as I do to Mr [Van Hout], Registrar of the Court, and Mr [Decharpe], Deputy Secretary of the Council of Ministers. I hope, and we all hope that these European passports will soon be issued to other persons.

European People reunite…

That, soon, all of Europe’s people, at last reunited, will hold this laissez-passer and will thus be able to move about the six countries as citizens of the European Community and citizens of the six countries. Amid active discussions in Rome regarding political authority establishment, there’s hope that a European Community will soon emerge, ensuring prosperity and peace. First International Passport Europe

Source: Remise des Passe-Ports Européens / Jean Monnet.- Luxembourg: 10/07/1953. CLT-UFA, Luxembourg. – SON (00:03:38, editing, Original Sound Track). CLT-UFA, 45, Boulevard Pierre Frieden, L-1543 Luxembourg. Translated by the CVCE. Copyright © Translation Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance sur l’Europe (CVCE).

Jean Monnet

(9 November 1888 – 16 March 1979) is regarded by many as a chief architect of European Unity and is considered one of its founding fathers. Never elected to public office, Monnet worked behind the scenes of American and European governments as a well-connected pragmatic internationalist.

European Coal and Steel Community First International Passport Europe

After liberation, Monnet advocated for a “global plan for modernization and economic development” to the French government. Appointed Planning Commissioner by de Gaulle, he oversaw the revitalization of the French economy.

In 1949, Monnet saw rising tension between Germany and France over the Ruhr’s control, fearing a return to hostilities. Monnet and his associates conceived the idea of a European Community.

ECSC

On May 9, 1950, Chancellor Adenauer agreed to a declaration by French Minister Schuman. The proposal suggested integrating French and German coal and steel industries under joint control, forming a High Authority accessible to other European nations. First International Passport Europe

Shortly after that, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands responded favorably, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was born. Britain was invited to participate, but it refused on the grounds of national sovereignty.

In 1952, Jean Monnet became the first president of the High Authority. First International Passport Europe

 

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