ROMANIA AND THE INTRA-BLOC CMEA NEGOTIATIONS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CMEA-EEC RELATIONS, 1984-19881
ROMANIA AND THE INTRA-BLOC CMEA NEGOTIATIONS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CMEA-EEC RELATIONS, 1984-19881

Summary/Abstract: The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) and the European Economic Community (EEC) refused to officially acknowledge each other until 25 June 1988 when, in Brussels, representatives of the two organizations signed a Joint Declaration. The CMEA’s position with regard to the conclusion of the Joint Declaration was reached during a series of intra-bloc negotiations, carried out between 1984 and 1988, especially at the level of the Council’s Executive Committee. During these debates, Romania often advanced a position that was different from that of the rest of the bloc. This article addresses Romania’s position during the 1984-1988 intra-bloc CMEA debates with regard to the establishment of official relations between the CMEA and the EEC. Addressing a significant historiographical gap, it focuses on Romania’s opposition towards the CMEA’s attempts at coordinating its position towards the EEC. Drawing mainly from evidence from the archives of the Romanian Communist Party and of the Romanian CMEA Governmental Commission of Economic and Technical Collaboration and Cooperation, this work also helps to create a better understanding of Romania’s stance towards the Common Market, in general.

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