[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 124 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 124

   Congratulating the European Union on the 50th anniversary of the 
signing of the Treaty of Rome, creating the European Economic Community 
   among 6 European countries and laying the foundations for peace, 
                  stability, and prosperity in Europe.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 26, 2007

Mr. Biden submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
                               agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Congratulating the European Union on the 50th anniversary of the 
signing of the Treaty of Rome, creating the European Economic Community 
   among 6 European countries and laying the foundations for peace, 
                  stability, and prosperity in Europe.

Whereas after a half century of war and upheaval, and in the face of economic 
        and political crises and the threat of communism, European visionaries 
        began a process to bring the countries of Europe into closer economic 
        and political cooperation to help secure peace and prosperity for the 
        peoples of Europe;
Whereas, on March 25, 1957, 6 European countries--the Federal Republic of 
        Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg--signed 
        the Treaty of Rome, creating the European Economic Community;
Whereas the Treaty of Rome established a customs union between the signatory 
        countries, but also did much more, creating a framework that has 
        broadened and deepened over time into the European Union, promoting the 
        free movement of people, services, and capital, and common policies 
        among the countries in important areas, and that has helped secure the 
        spread of peace and stability in Europe;
Whereas the European Economic Community expanded to bring more European 
        countries into closer union, with the United Kingdom, Denmark, and 
        Ireland joining in 1973, Greece joining in 1981, and Spain and Portugal 
        joining in 1986;
Whereas the member countries of the European Economic Community agreed to the 
        Single European Act in 1987, paving the way for a single European 
        market, and on February 7, 1992, the member countries of the European 
        Community signed the Treaty of Maastricht, furthering the economic and 
        political ties among the member countries and creating the European 
        Union;
Whereas the European Union has continued to grow so that the European Union now 
        comprises 27 countries with a population of over 450,000,000, after the 
        successful unification of Germany in 1990 and the joining of Austria, 
        Finland, and Sweden in 1995, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, 
        Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia in 
        2004, and Bulgaria and Romania in 2007, and the European Union continues 
        to consider expanding to include other countries central to the history 
        and future of Europe;
Whereas the European Union has developed a broad acquis communautaire covering 
        policies in the economic, security, diplomatic, and political areas, has 
        established a single market, has built an economic and monetary union, 
        including the Euro currency, and has built an area of freedom, security, 
        peace, and justice, extending stability to its neighbors;
Whereas the European Union played a key role at the end of the Cold War in 
        helping to spread free markets, democratic institutions and values, and 
        respect for human rights to the former central European communist 
        states;
Whereas the United States and the European Union have shared a unique 
        partnership based on a common heritage, shared values, and mutual 
        interests, and have worked together to strengthen international 
        cooperation and institutions, to create a more open international 
        trading system, to ensure transatlantic and global security, to preserve 
        and promote peace, freedom, and democracy, and to advance human rights; 
        and
Whereas the United States has supported the European integration process and has 
        consistently supported the objective of European unity and the 
        enlargement of the European Union to promote prosperity, peace, and 
        democracy: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) congratulates the European Union and the member 
        countries of the European Union on the 50th anniversary of the 
        historic signing of the Treaty of Rome;
            (2) commends the European Union for the critical role it 
        and its predecessor organizations have played in spreading 
        peace, stability, and prosperity throughout Europe; and
            (3) affirms the desire of the United States to strengthen 
        the transatlantic partnership with the European Union and with 
        all of its member countries.
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