Answer:
B. a common market for the coal and steel industries
Step-by-step explanation:
The first step towards the formation of the European Union was the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1951. This treaty established the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), which was a supranational organization that aimed to promote cooperation and integration in the coal and steel industries among six European countries: Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
The Treaty of Paris was signed by the leaders of these countries as a response to the destruction and devastation caused by World War II. They believed that closer economic cooperation and integration could help to prevent future conflicts and promote peace and prosperity in Europe.
The European Coal and Steel Community was the first step towards the formation of the European Union. It marked the beginning of a process of economic and political integration that would eventually lead to the creation of the European Union, which was established by the Treaty of Maastricht in 1992.
Overall, the first step towards the formation of the European Union was the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1951, which established the European Coal and Steel Community. This treaty marked the beginning of a process of economic and political integration that would eventually lead to the creation of the European Union.