France–Germany relations side deals; it created a customs union and established the rules needed to make the competition mechanism work properly. As a sequence of this, booming European economies, fired by Germany, led to the formation of the new customs union known as the European Economic Community (EEC). But it did not go well as the organization of Europe, because only the members of the coal and steel community 'ECSC' (" the six": Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany) joined the EEC. Seven of the remaining nations belonging to the Organization of European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) which administered the
Belgium–France relations Belgium–France relations Belgium–France relations refer to interstate relations between Belgium and France. Relations were established after the independence of Belgium. Both nations are great allies. Both nations have cultural similarities, both governments cooperate and Belgium has an embassy in Paris, while France has an embassy in Brussels. Both nations are members of NATO and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie and both were founding members of the European Union. In May 2007, French President Nicolas Sarkozy visited Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt. In February 2008, Prime Minister Verhofstadt visited President Sarkozy. In feb. 2014 King Philippe and Queen Mathilde visited