Brussels, 17/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The precursor to the current European Union, the European Coal and Steel Community, was born on 18 April 1951 and is celebrating its fifty years on Wednesday. Despite its planned disappearance, when the ECSC Treaty expires, on 23 July 2002, the ECSC Consultative Committee remains active. On 5 April, it adopted two opinions on (1) taxation for energy products, and (2) climate change and trading in emission rights, as well as a declaration on the role of steel in Europe at the dawn of the 21st century (EUROPE will return). Its last session will take place on 27 June 2002.