TITLE I

 The European Coal and Steel Community

 Article 1

By this Treaty, the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES establish among themselves a  EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY, founded upon a common market,  common objectives and common institutions.

Article 2

The European Coal and Steel Community shall have as its task to contribute, in harmony with  the general economy of the Member States and through the establishment of a common  market as provided in Article 4, to economic expansion, growth of employment and a rising  standard of living in the Member States.

The Community shall progressively bring about conditions which will of themselves ensure  the most rational distribution of production at the highest possible level of productivity, while  safeguarding continuity of employment and taking care not to provoke fundamental and  persistent disturbances in the economies of Member States.

Article 3

The institutions of the Community shall, within the limits of their respective powers, in the  common interest:

a. Ensure an orderly supply to the common market, taking into account the needs of third  countries;

b. Ensure that all comparably placed consumers in the common market have equal access to  the sources of production;

c. Ensure the establishment of the lowest prices under such conditions that these prices do not  result in higher prices charged by the same undertakings in other transactions or in a higher  general price level at another time, while allowing necessary amortization and normal return  on invested capital;

d. Ensure the maintenance of conditions which will encourage undertakings to expand and  improve their production potential and to promote a policy of using natural resources  rationally and avoiding their unconsidered exhaustion;

e. Promote improved working conditions and an improved standard of living for the workers  in each of the industries for which it is responsible, so as to make possible their harmonization  while the improvement is being maintained;

f. Promote the growth of international trade and ensure that equitable limits are observed in  export pricing;

g. Promote the orderly expansion and modernization of production, and the improvement of  quality, with no protection against competing industries that is not justified by improper  action on their part or in their favour.

<2>