The celebrations may have been low-key this year when September 5 marked the 81st anniversary of the first steps that brought Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg together, but the events and progress of their connection marked out a path to what eventually became the European Union.
The three countries, with their governments in exile in London in 1944, signed a treaty abolishing economic borders among themselves; that eventually led to the Benelux Economic Union and, by November 1, 1960—another anniversary coming up—the abolition of borders within the union. The Benelux experience served as a model for the institutions that grew into the modern EU—the European Coal and Steel Community, then European Economic Community and finally the EU. The Benelux countries were deeply involved in all of the developments.
September 5 is now celebrated as Benelux Day; last year was the first official one, and was dedicated to the union’s 80th anniversary. This year’s has seen speeches, celebrations and events marking the 65th anniversary of the free movement among them. This year’s events were celebrated in Luxembourg City; Luxembourg holds the group’s rotating presidency this year.
