The Treaty of Rome refers to the treaty which established the European Economic Community (EEC) and was signed by France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg on March 25, 1957; it is now generally called the Treaty establishing the European Community or the EC Treaty. Another treaty was signed the same day establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) : their conjunction is known as the Treaties of Rome (plural). Both came into force on 1 January 1958.

The original Treaty was amended by all the subsequent treaties; the Treaty of Nice sought to consolidate all treaties into one document but the EC Treaty as amended remains a single section within this, with its own article numbering.

Though the entry in force of the Treaty of the European Union in 1993 was a further step in the direction of European integration, most decisions of the institutions of the Union are still taken on the legal basis of EC Treaty, which remains the main source of communitary legislation.

See also History of the European Union

Preceded by: Treaty of Paris (1952)

EU treaties

Followed by: Merger Treaty (1967)