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The Founding Fathers

Direction: Rue de la Loi (Berlaymont side)

This first stretch of the walk honours the statesmen who, from 1950 onwards, designed the political and institutional architecture of a united Europe — from the Schuman Declaration to the creation of the first European Communities.

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Robert Schuman
Robert Schuman

French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Father of Europe

1886 - 1963 France / Luxembourg

Author of the Declaration of 9 May 1950, regarded as the founding act of European integration, he proposed placing Franco-German coal and steel production under a common authority open to other European countries.

1 supporters
Jean Monnet
Jean Monnet

Commissioner for the Plan, Father of Europe

1888 - 1979 France

Inspirer of the "small steps" method of European integration, he devised the idea of pooling French and German coal and steel production, which gave rise to the Schuman Declaration.

1 supporters
PHS
Paul-Henri Spaak

Belgian Prime Minister, Father of Europe

1899 - 1972 Belgium

Belgian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, he chaired the 1955 Messina Conference that led to the Treaty of Rome, and was the first President of the ECSC Common Assembly.

1 supporters
WH
Walter Hallstein

First President of the European Commission, institutional architect

1901 - 1982 Germany

A German jurist and the first President of the European Commission (1958-1967), he laid the institutional foundations of the European Economic Community born from the Treaty of Rome and vigorously defended the independence of the Community institutions.

1 supporters

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