Abstract
"Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity" (issued from Schuman Declaration on 9th May 1950). At the end of the Second World War, bruised, France, Germany, Benelux, and Italy, representing Europe, decided to unite in order to forge lasting peaceful relations. The Europe's Founding Fathers, Robert Schuman as well as Jean Monnet, wished to build a Europe in several stages according to the policy of small steps.
Contrary to a confederation – the voluntary union of States which are and remain sovereign – a Federal State, such as the United States, is a group created between political entities by a common Constitution in which they retain some powers allowing to consider them as Member States. But they lost their sovereignty in favor of this group which has, mainly, the only international personality.
In his declaration, Schuman already evoked that the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), would be the first step of the European Federation, idea following up the strong movement of European federalism (see history of the foundation of the Union of European Federalists on its website). The legacy of this de facto solidarity is translated into the European Union (EU) established by the Treaty of Maastricht of February 7, 1992.
