Selve udtrykket »Fæl­lesskabet«, der blev valgt af grundlæggerne i 1957, ud­trykker i øvrigt klart disses vilje til at fremme en afba­lanceret velstand i alle medlemslandene, og det udtrykker især deres ønske om at skabe den fornødne indbyrdes solidaritet, for at dette ambitiøse mål kan blive nået.
The very choice of the name 'Community' by the founding fathers in 1957 says much about both their desire to promote balanced prosperity in all the Member States and, perhaps still more importantly, their acceptance of the need for mutual solidarity in all the areas covered by this ambitious project.