A founding member participates from the beginning.
Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg signed the treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951. The community came into being in 1952. This cooperation was an important beginning of European integration after World War II.
The same six countries signed the Treaties of Rome in 1957. The European Economic Community and Euratom began in 1958. The development therefore involved several treaties and institutions, rather than a single founding under today’s name.
The other three answers
Present-day membership is not enough to answer this question.
NATO.
NATO was founded in 1949. The Federal Republic joined in 1955 and was therefore not a founding member.
the United Nations (UN).
The Federal Republic and the GDR became members of the United Nations in 1973. The Federal Republic was not one of its founding members.
the Warsaw Pact.
The GDR belonged to the Warsaw Pact, founded in 1955. The Federal Republic was not a member of this Soviet-led alliance.
The EU did not yet bear that name in the 1950s.
The Maastricht Treaty was signed in 1992 and entered into force on 1 November 1993. It established the European Union. The test wording brings this later union and its earlier communities together in a short answer.
“Europe” is also not another name for every European organisation. The EU, NATO and United Nations are different organisations. Membership of one does not establish membership or a founding role in another.
European beginnings · European Union ↗EU: from the beginning. NATO: 1955. UN: 1973.
Remember the distinction between the early European Communities and later accessions to other organisations.
Three words for this question
- das Gründungsmitgliedfounding member
- A member participating in the creation of an organisation.
- der Beitrittaccession / joining
- Joining an organisation that already exists.
- das Inkrafttretenentry into force
- The point from which a treaty has legal effect.