on 12 april 1957, the governments of the six ecsc member states signed the statute of the european school, which took the form of an international treaty. following ratification, the agreement entered into force on 22 february 1960. under article 6 of the statute, the european school was to have the status of a public institution in the law of each of the contracting parties and was to have legal personality to the extent requisite for the attainment of its objectives. the organs of the school were to be a board of governors, which would have executive authority over the school, a boards of inspectors, an administrative board and a head teacher. article 8 provided that the board of governors of the european school was to consist of the "minister or ministers of each contracting party whose responsibilities include national education and/or external cultural relations", with the board able to confer a position to a representative of the high authority of the european coal and steel community, as per article 27.