Case studies in European Economic Union : the mechanics of integration / J.E. Meade, H.H. Liesner, S.J. Wells ; edited, with and introduction by J.E. Meade.

Issued under the auspices of the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

Abbreviations, viii -- Introduction, 1 -- Study I. The Belgium-Luxembourg economic union, 1921-1939, 13 -- Study II. The building of Benelux, 1943-1960, 59 -- Study III. The European coal and steel community, 195 -- 1. Introduction, 197 -- II. Pricing and competition, 208 -- III. The problems of the Belgian coal industry, 288 -- IV. The tax issue, 310 -- V. Transport in the common market, 336 -- VI. Commercial policy, 406 -- Select bibliography, 417. -- Index, 420.

This volume contains studies of three European economic unions, each of which has been in actual operation for a sufficiently long period of time for its practical working to be observed in some detail. The examination of the actual working of these unions has, however, been limited in an important manner. Our purpose has not been to assess the impact of these economic unions upon the standard of living, the rate of economic growth, or other aspects of the economic welfare of the populations included within, or of those left outside, these unions. In other words it has not been our object to consider whether each union is a desirable or an undesirable institution from the economic point of view. Our object has been the more limited one of considering the economic problems of -- as it were -- a mechanical nature which have faced the builders of these three unions. What economic arrangements must be made in an economic union in order to make it work efficiently?