In 1957 the six founding nations of the European Economic Community set out to create a common market with a common competition and trade policy. This project remains central to the European Union. Under the terms of the Maastricht Treaty a monetary union dimension was added to the project. Today, the Treaty of the European Union requires in art 3,3 the EU to become “a highly competitive social market economy”. COMECE has welcomed the inclusion of this goal and recommended balancing responsibility and solidarity in the Euro zone. The COMECE Secretariat follows socio-ethical questions raised by the process of European integration in the field of social and economic policy. COMECE is assisted in this mission by a Commission on Social Affairs.