This article examines the European Community's reactions to the Soviet proposal of 1972 to establish formal relations between the EC and COMECON (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance). By 1975 the EC and COMECON seemed to have achieved the beginnings of cooperation. It was far from promising, however. Most of the EC members wanted to concentrate on further development of the EC rather than dtente. France was the exception, believing that, in principle, dtente should have priority over EC integration. Still, the French priority of dtente policies did not mean their support for consolidation of the Soviet bloc. In the end, the Nine opposed the institutionalization of EC/COMECON relations; European integration and dtente thereafter went their separate ways.