Inner Six
History of the European Union |
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European Union portal |
The Inner Six, also known as the Six, the Six founders, or the founding members of the European Union, refers to Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and Netherlands, the six founding member states of the European Communities, now succeeded by the European Union. Named for their location on a map of western Europe, the Inner Six contrasted with the "Outer Seven", which pursued a free-trade system.
History
The Inner Six are those who responded to the
Dependency on overseas
Inner Six and Outer Seven
The "Inner Six" were in contrast to the "Outer Seven" group of countries who formed the European Free Trade Association rather than engage in supranational European integration. Five of the Outer Seven would themselves later join the European Communities.
EC Members (Inner Six) | EFTA Members (Outer Seven) |
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The six would continue in their co-operation until 1973 when they were joined by two of the Outer Seven (UK and Denmark) and Ireland.
Enlargement and Brexit: Nine, Ten, Twelve, Fifteen, and beyond
The events of the 1956
Modern "inner" groups
Today, there are still some groups within the European Union integrating faster than others, for example the
The Inner Six are today among the most integrated members of the EU.
Participant | Schengen
|
AFSJ | CFR | Euro | EEA | ESM | EFC | SRM | Euro+ | CSDP | Prüm | Patent
|
Divorce | Symbols |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Belgium | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
France | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
Germany | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
Italy | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
Luxembourg | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x |
Netherlands | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | o | o |
x – member
o – non-member
See also
- Arraiolos meeting
- Big Four (Western Europe)
- Craiova Group
- Enlargement of the European Union
- EU Med Group
- European Economic Area
- European Free Trade Association
- EU three
- G6 (EU)
- Multi-speed Europe
- Opt-outs in the European Union
- Schengen Agreement
- Visegrád Group
References
- European NAvigator
- ^ France's own lesson from Suez BBC News