page_title: Committee of European Economic Co-operation
section_title: European reaction
hierarchical_section_title: Committee of European Economic Co-operation / Background / European reaction
caption_attribution_description: English: Ernest Bevin, British Labour politician
context_page_description: The Committee of European Economic Co-operation was a joint European conference to determine the priorities for the recovery of the European economy after World War II, and to assist in the administration of the Marshall Plan. The committee, consisting of representatives from 16 European nations, met from 12 July to 22 September 1947 in Paris, France.
  The conference resulted in a request from those nations of Europe that participated in the deliberations of the committee, which did not include the Soviet Union and her satellite states, for a total of US$22.4 billion over a four-year period.
  From the viewpoint of today, one of the most tangible result from the activities of the CEEC was the establishment in 1948 of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation to administer the Marshall plan from the European perspective. The OEEC is the precursor to today's Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
context_section_description: On 14 June 1947, the French Foreign Minister, George Bidault, invited his British counterpart, Ernest Bevin, to Paris to discuss the proposal by the United States. Reports indicated that the Soviet Union had been contacted to gauge whether they were interested in participating in this meeting. On 17 June 1947, the two foreign ministers, along with subject matter experts, commenced a meeting to discuss tariffs and trade barriers, monetary reforms, and aid priorities. That same day, the British ambassador to the Soviet Union met with Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov to discuss the Marshall Plan with the Soviet leadership. On 19 June, the meeting in Paris was broken off, and a formal invitation to participate in further discussions was sent to Molotov.
  The "Big Three Conference" began on 27 June 1947, involving France, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union. This meeting soon revealed basic disagreements between France and Great Britain on one side, and the Soviet Union on the other, leading to the breakdown of discussions on 2 July. That same day, France and Great Britain announced their intention to consider the Marshall Plan further, with or without participation of the Soviet Union. The foreign ministers of the two countries therefore issued a formal invitation on 3 July 1947 to 22 European nations to participate in a "committee of co-operation" to detail the requirements and production capabilities of Europe, with 16 nations accepting this invitation by 10 July.
caption: British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin
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