Walter Hallstein Becomes First President of the European Commission

Walter Hallstein becomes the first President of the European Commission…
Walter Hallstein used his tenure as the first President of the European Commission to build the common market and promote rapid and deep European integration.
Hallstein approached his position as Commission President with the same dedication to European unity, as well as the specialized knowledge and experience that inspired Chancellor Konrad Adenauer to appoint him head of the German delegation to the Schuman conference for the formation of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1950. These qualifications, among others, helped him to be effective throughout his 9-year presidency, which lasted from 1958 to 1967.