Benelux 1948-



BENELUX was founded in 1947 as a CUSTOMS UNION, named after the first syllables of its three member states. 1958 The Benelux Economic Union Treaty between Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands was signed, which was to facilitate the free flow of goods and capital.
The Benelux failed to establish stronger institutions, because the three member states joined larger economic and military organizations - NATO in 1949, the EEC in 1957 (which later became the EU). Inter-Benelux relations, such as sample border checks, lead to the SCHENGEN AGREEMENT (1985/1990) which virtually abolished border checks between Schengen signatory states.
In essence, Benelux was a role model and testing ground for the EEC/EU; many of its treaties are extensions of Benelux policy.





EXTERNAL
FILES 		History of Belgian-Dutch military cooperation, from Dutch Ministry of Defense
Brief History of European Integration, from Delegation of the European Commission in Japan
DOCUMENTS Benelux Flag, from FOTW
Convention from 19 June 1990 applying the Schengen Agreement of 14th June 1985 between the Governments of the States of the Benelux Economic Union, the Federal Republic of Germany and the French Republic on the gradual abolition of checks at their common borders, posted by Henning Spjelkavik
REFERENCE


This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted on January 4th 2002, last revied on November 11th 2004