European CommunityˌEuropean Comˈmunityabbreviation EC nounORGANIZATIONS
an organization of Western European countries established by Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands by the TREATY OF ROME in 1957 with the aim of encouraging member countries to work together more closely in economic and political matters. After other countries had joined, it became the EUROPEAN UNION
The narrow European Economic Community of the 1960s has developed into present-day European Community with 25 member states.