The EC Nine's vision and attempts at ending the Cold War

Abstract

Among those who attempted to promote visions of the end of the Cold War, the European Community (EC) Nine – considered as a collective actor – deserve a due place. This chapter describes the birth, nature and aims of such an actor in the early 1970s détente, and the development of the EC Nine’s vision of overcoming the Cold War while preparing for the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). The analysis then focuses on the interaction of national visions, rationales and aims in the making of a common strategy, as well as on the debate about tactics and means for the CSCE. The chapter argues that the EC Nine were able to elaborate and implement an actual scheme to overcome the Cold War rather than just reaching a lowest-common-denominator position.