Euratom Treaty

The Euratom Treaty, officially the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community established the European Atomic Energy Community. It was signed on the 25 March 1957 at the same time as the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (EEC Treaty).

The Euratom treaty is less well known due to the lower profile of the organisation it founded. While the EEC has evolved into what is now the European Union, Euratom has remained much the same as it was in 1957, albeit governed by the institutions of the European Union. It was established with its own independent institutions, but the 1967 Merger Treaty merged the institutions of Euratom and the ECSC with those of the EEC.

The Euratom treaty has seen very little amendment due to the later sensitivity surrounding nuclear power amongst the European public opinion. Because of this some argue that it has become too out dated, particularly in the areas of democratic oversight. It was not included as part of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe, which sought to combine all previous treaties, over fears that including nuclear power in the treaty would turn more people against it.

It is therefore still in force today but as a separate legal treaty. It forms part of the active treaties of the European Union.