Before that date some 460 meetings of the Council of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), since 1952, and of the Councils of the European Economic Community (EEC) and of the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC), since 1958, had already been held.
Enne seda kuupäeva oli peetud juba ligi 460 Euroopa Söe- ja Teraseühenduse Nõukogu (alates aastast 1952) ning Euroopa Majandusühenduse ja Euroopa Tuumaenergiaühenduse Nõukogu (alates aastast 1958) istungit.