Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-01-11-Speech-2-025"
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"en.20050111.5.2-025"2
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".
Mr President, the American publicist Jeremy Rifkin recently wrote a book about the European Union and entitled it ‘The European Dream’. I am grateful to the President for making it possible for Mr Rifkin to be with us this afternoon, and for giving us the opportunity to discuss with him the future of Europe and of the European ideal. This book is a dazzling analysis of the achievements and innovations of fifty years of European unification, which are truly unique and to be found nowhere else in the world: direct elections in 25 countries to one parliament; a court of law capable of handing down rulings for all citizens and all states; one single currency in twelve countries, enabling us to defend our economic sovereignty at a time of globalisation; and, now, a European constitution on the table before us.
This is something of which Europeans should be proud; they really should take great pride in what has been achieved. It is, however, glaringly apparent that such a euphoric analysis is the product of observation from outside Europe, for the European Union evokes astonishment and admiration from around the world: in Africa – having heard President Mbeki’s speech to this House, we know what expectations are placed in Europe; in Asia, where Europe is giving extraordinary help to deal with the present disaster; and also in America, both North and South. I sometimes wish there were less small-mindedness, less fearfulness and less scepticism within the European Union. Rather than being afraid of the project of European unification, we should hold our heads high with pride.
We are a model, and a model secured by the European Constitution. Some of Europe’s dreams have already come true. We still have work to do on the others. As has already been said, the founding fathers’ great dream was that, after a millennium of war, peace would at last be restored to the continent, and the EU is the greatest peace project in the world. Many peoples have longed for freedom and democracy. Let me say it again: the EU is the greatest peace project that there has ever been on this continent. Many of those around us find the EU very attractive and want to join it. Some dreams, though, have not come true in a time such as this, in which crime, terrorism and the challenges of globalisation are gnawing away at the European Social Model. I believe we will be better able to make the dream of prosperity and security a reality with this Constitution than without it.
Such are the big issues that have to be explained to people everywhere over the coming eighteen months, as ratification is debated in the twenty-five countries. The Europeans’ great dream, the long-term goals of this European project and the values that underpin it: these are what we must communicate, and we must not allow ourselves to get lost in trivia or details. One Member on my committee once said that we must not now count the individual trees, the 448 articles, and pick out one; instead we must look at the whole wood, the project as a whole. It is then that we come to the conclusion that this is a great leap forward, from a union of states to a union of citizens, from diplomatic Europe to a democratic Europe. Nothing is set in stone, and there will of course be more stages to European unification. That is what we should be saying to all those who are not yet satisfied.
I want to thank Mr Corbett and Mr Méndez de Vigo for producing a really good report, which will prepare this House for dialogue with our partners in the national parliaments and the citizens of twenty-five countries. I am glad that the European Constitution owes much to this House, from Altiero Spinelli’s ‘Crocodile Club’ to the European Constitution Intergroup in the previous and present legislative periods, in which many Members have worked to achieve progress in this area. We rejoice and are glad that this draft is now on the table.
We must now do everything possible to ensure that this draft becomes reality rather than existing only in black and white. There have already been two drafts; this third attempt at a European Constitution must see the light of day. If, tomorrow, we vote for the Constitution by a large majority, everyone will go out and fight for it. Europe’s friends must not let this historic opportunity be taken out of their hands. We must not leave the field to its opponents, who will lead their countries and peoples into isolation and down a political cul-de-sac."@en1
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