Abstract
This article examines the ideas and politics of the Federation of German Industry and two other peak associations of West German Industry concerning the integration of (Western) Europe. Their attitudes towards European integration were characterized, at least from the late 1950s, by a great degree of continuity: They supported the integration process not only for economic, but also for political reasons. Principal criticism was directed against dirigisme and poor efficiency, and in the dispute between the advocates of supranational and inter-governmental ideas they leaned towards the latter. All in all, the three most important German business associations practised, and practise to this day, a sort of pragmatic Europeanism.
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