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Benelux (or
"Bénélux") is an economic union
in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring monarchies,
Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The name is
formed from the beginning of each country's name, and
was created for the Benelux Customs Union, but is now
used in a more generic way. Size: 74,102 km², Population:
27.1 million
The treaty establishing the Benelux Customs
Union was signed in 1944 by the governments in exile of
the three countries in London, and entered into force
in 1947. It ceased to exist in 1960, when it was replaced
by the Benelux Economic Union. It was preceded by the
(still existent) Belgium-Luxembourg Economic Union, established
in 1921.
Its founding contributed to the founding
of the European Union (EU), though the immediate precursors
to the EU were founded later (the ECSC in 1951 and the
EEC in 1957). The three countries were also founding members
of these organizations, together with West Germany, France,
and Italy. Article 306 of the EC Treaty stipulates that
The provisions of this Treaty shall not preclude the existence
or completion of regional unions between Belgium and Luxembourg,
or between Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, to
the extent that the objectives of these regional unions
are not attained by application of this Treaty. This article
remained unaltered as Article IV-441 of the European Constitution. |
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