Talks were initiated in the US in 1946, on the basis of the Monnet Plan, the US were aware of the Communist threat in France and Italy and the economic devastation that prevailed in Europe. Virtually all allied debts run up under lend-lease had been cancelled. There was the realisation that something would have to be done to alleviate situation and initiate recovery. Even so when Monnet returned from US in June 1946 he came back with less than half the money he had hoped to borrow in order to carry out his Plan. Accordingly, the Plan was reduced to 4 years as opposed to 5, it was aimed at a strong national base, where military spending would not be allowed to interfere with investment, emphasis was on steel, with policy being to secure supplies of coke and coking coal from Ruhr, and was unveiled 7 January 1947. Despite efforts by the economic ministry to absorb the CGP, it remained autonomous and on 14 January 1947 a Government Decree formally Plan.

The originals are held in various Archives in Europe and in the USA

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