The organization of the internal affairs of each member state was to be their respective sovereign decision.[1] The member states were to defend the interests of Europe and protect the continent from external enemies.[7] European economy was to reorganized in mutual agreement between the member states, with internal custom and other barriers progressively abolished.[7] Trans-European rail, autobahn, waterway and airline networks were to be developed according to a common plan.[8] The Confederation was to be partly based on earlier diplomatic treaties signed between the Axis powers, the Italian-German Pact of Steel, Tripartite Pact and the Anti-Comintern Pact.[9]