EVIDENCE FOR US OF EU

• WSC spoke in favour of greater European unity at Zurich in 1946 believing in the concept of a European family and spoke in favour of reducing trade barriers and promoting economic cooperation in Europe. He was far from being either an isolationist or someone focused on empire as he believed of the balance of power in Europe. He did not see greater links with Europe as incompatible with other international links such as the UN and the Commonwealth. WSC had previously supported Briand's idea of a European Union in 1930 and offered to unite Britain and France in 1940.
• He honorary president at The Hague Congress (1948) organised by the International Committee of the Movements for European Unity which was attended by over 800 politicians and leaders who agreed to greater European co-operation on 3 committees: economic and social, political, and cultural.
• In 1949, Britain was one of ten signatories of the Council of Europe which aimed to establish a forum for co-operation and to uphold human rights, democracy, and the rule of law across Europe. Greater European co-operation was important as a means of preventing the spread of communism and preventing more conflict between France and Germany, Western Europe was one of three major non-communist groupings in the world which also entailed the Anglo-American groups and the Commonwealth and Empire group.