Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
The European Union
From the European states' involvement in the Marshall
Plan came the Organization for European Economic
Cooperation (OEEC), and this body in turn gave rise to
other cooperative organizations. Soon after Europe estab-
lished the OEEC, France proposed the creation of a Euro-
pean Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) with the goal of
lifting the restrictions and obstacles that impeded the fl ow
of coal, iron ore, and steel among the mainland's six primary
producers: France, West Germany, Italy, and the three
Benelux countries. The six states entered the ECSC, and
gradually, through negotiations and agreement, enlarged
their sphere of cooperation to include reductions and even
eliminations of certain tariffs and a freer fl ow of labor, capi-
tal, and commodities beyond steel. This led, in 1958, to the
creation of the European Economic Community (EEC).
The success of the EEC induced other countries
to apply for membership. Denmark, Ireland, and the
United Kingdom joined in 1973, Greece in 1981, and
Spain and Portugal in 1986. The organization became
known as the European Community (EC) because
it began to address issues beyond economics. By the
late 1980s, the EC had 12 members: the three giants
(Germany, France, and the United Kingdom); the four
southern countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece);
and fi ve smaller states (the Netherlands, Belgium, Lux-
embourg, Denmark, and Ireland). These 12 members
Figure 8.22
Select Supranational Organizations.
Data from:
Crawford, Jo-Ann and Roberto V.
Fiorentino “Changing Landscape of Regional Trade Agreements,” World Trade Organization.
http://www.wto.org/english/res_e/booksp_e/discussion_papers8_e.pdf
SELECT SUPRANATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS
Agadir Agreement
Andean Community
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement
Association of South East Asian
Nations
Caribbean Community and
Common Market
Central American Common Market
Central American-Dominican
Free Trade Agreement
Common Market for Eastern and
Southern Africa
Commonwealth of Independent
States
East African Community
Economic and Monetary
Community of Central Africa
Economic Community of
West African States
European Community
European Customs Union
(Andorra, Monaco, San Marino,
and Turkey)
European Free Trade Association
Gulf Cooperation Council
North American Free Trade
Agreement
South Africa Customs Union
South Africa Development
Community
South Asian Preferential Trade
Arrangement
Southern Common Market
GREENLAND
U.S.
(Alaska)
60
°
CANADA
40
°
40
°
UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA
ATLANTIC
BERMUDA
OCEAN
BAHAMAS
MEXICO
Tropic of Cancer
CUBA
DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC
PUERTO
RICO
20
°
20
°
20
°
JAMAICA
BELIZE
U.S.
(Hawai'i)
HAITI
HONDURAS
NICARAGUA
GUATEMALA
BARBADOS
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
EL SALVADOR
PACIFIC
COSTA RICA
PANAMA
VENEZUELA
COLOMBIA
SURINAME
FRENCH GUIANA
GUYANA
Equator
0
°
ECUADOR
OCEAN
PERU
BRAZIL
BOLIVIA
20
°
20
°
20
°
20
°
PARAGUAY
Tropic of Capricorn
ARGENTINA
CHILE
URUGUAY
40
°
40
°
40
°
40
°
160
°
140
°
120
°
80
°
60
°
40
°
60
°
60
°
60
°
60
°
SOUTHERN
OCEAN
Striped coloring represents
membership in two organizations
0
1000
2000
3000 Kilometers
0
1000
2000 Miles
