The French decision to join EURATOM was conditioned on the regional agency not impinging on national nuclear programs. As early as 1955, French Prime Minister Guy Mollet had instructed French negotiators that “Euratom will not be an obstacle toward the possible decision of France … to build nuclear weapons.”  While EURATOM’s jurisdiction would be limited to negotiating purchases of fissile materials, promoting trade with the United States and the United Kingdom, and exchanging reactors designs and civilian technology among members of the Atlantic community, Couve de Murville credited EURATOM with a fringe benefit: monitoring West Germany. In this spring 1960 letter to Prime Minister Michel Debré about revising the treaty, he warned against the removal of EURATOM controls over raw uranium and thorium or enriched uranium. Their removal, he cautioned, would create a dilemma: “either abandon the idea that German’s renunciation of atomic armaments could be enforced or support the enforcement of equivalent controls under the West European Union, which … would interfere in the direction of our programs and the development of our nuclear weapons.”

This information note to the members of the Commission lays out the peaceful and military limits to the scope of the Euratom Treaty.

This press conference given by Louis Armand, future first president of Euratom, details a report advocating the creation of an industrial substrate capable of producing by the end of the century abundant energy so that Europe may regain its independence and rethink its economy.

This note describes panel discussions, which took place on the visit of Chancellor Adenauer to Paris, helping to reach an agreement on outstanding issues regarding Euratom.

These minutes describe a discussion from members of several European states, including Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands on actions in case of emergency in regard to Euratom.

This letter to Christian Pineau describes the proposed subordination of Euratom to the common market.

These minutes include discussions of a new system to bring widespread technical renewal of European industry.

This document details discussions which took place during the Conference of Foreign Affairs between members of the ECSC in regard to extending their integration.