How did the Treaties of Rome contribute to the creation of the European Union?

The Treaties of Rome, signed on March 25, 1957, were foundational to the creation of the European Union by establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).12

These agreements contributed to the development of the EU in several key ways:

• Economic Integration: The EEC created a common market that eliminated internal tariffs and trade barriers, established a common external trade policy, and introduced the Common Agricultural Policy.2
• Institutional Framework: The treaties established four core governing bodies—a commission, a ministerial council, an assembly, and a court—which later evolved into the principal institutions of the EU.2
• Legal Authority: The European Court of Justice established the doctrines of "direct effect" and the "supremacy" of community law over national law, creating a supranational legal foundation.2
• Evolution into the EU: Following the 1993 advent of the EU, the EEC was renamed the European Community (EC) and embedded into the union. With the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, the original EEC treaty was formally renamed the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.1