§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list the different ways in which the initials EC have been used(a) by Government and by Government Departments and (b) by European institutions, giving the dates between which each usage has been current and the source and meaning of each alternative usage.
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 8 July 1992]: The initials EC are used by the Government and other bodies mentioned to stand for the European Communities, for example, the European Coal and Steel Community—ECSC—established in 1951, the European Economic Community—EEC—and the European Atomic Energy Committee—Euratom—both established in 1957. This is the correct usage. The Maastricht treaty on European union contains an article saying that the term European Economic Community will be replaced by the term European Community abbreviated as EC.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Prime Minister if he will list the different ways in which the initials EEC have been used(a) by Government and by Government Departments and (b) by European institutions, giving the dates between which each usage has been current and the source and meaning of each alternative usage.
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 7 July 1992]: The initials EEC are used by the Government and other bodies mentioned to stand for the European Economic Community, established by the treaty of Rome in 1957. Since at least the Single European Act, however, the initials EC have been used as a convenient shorthand. The Maastricht treaty on European union contains an article saying that the term European Economic Community is to be replaced by the term European Community, abbreviated as EC.