The term "European Communities" refers to a group of three organizations that aimed to promote economic integration and cooperation among European countries. These organizations included the European Economic Community (EEC), the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM), and the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). Established in the 1950s, they laid the groundwork for what would eventually become the European Union (EU). The European Communities focused on creating a common market, facilitating trade, and ensuring the free movement of goods, services, and people among member states. Over time, these communities evolved and merged, leading to the establishment of the EU in 1993, which expanded their goals to include political and social integration.