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EC Library Guide on the history of the European Commission: Composition of the Commission

Composition of the Jenkins Commission (1977-1981)1

The Jenkins Commission held office from 1977 to 1981. Roy Jenkins (UK) and his Commissioners took office in a difficult period: growth was stagnating, inflation was on the rise and the energy bill was steadily mounting. Despite these negative factors, they succeeded in opening up new horizons. It was during this mandate that the first steps were taken towards the establishment of economic and monetary union (EMU) (1977-1979), as well as towards the creation of the European Monetary System (EMS) (1978), a forerunner to the Single Currency (2002) (source: European Commission, archived web page, accessed 3 April 2024).


  1. For different language versions, check the EU Publications website.