The European dream: the only possible answer to the challenges of the 21st century

Jean Monnet and Robert Schuman are regarded as the main architects of European unity. Monnet dreamed of a European federation. His first speech dates from 1943:

"There will be no peace in Europe, if the states are reconstituted on the basis of national sovereignty... The countries of Europe are too small to guarantee their peoples the necessary prosperity and social development. The European states must constitute themselves into a federation..."

The federation that Jean Monnet wanted was different than the classical cooperation between states assured by international alliances and eventually international law. He dreamt of "building a Union among people", knowing that “nothing is possible without men and, at the same time, nothing is lasting without institutions”. As a visionary he was convinced that “there was no future for the people of Europe other than in union”. Monnet dreamed of a union for the people.

Inspired by him, Robert Schuman, made some years later a historic declaration on May 9, 1950. The declaration's goal was to build a lasting peace in Europe. It led to the creation of the European Communities in 1951 and 1957 and later to the the European Union, which aims 'to lay the foundations of an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe'.  Schuman realised the union of the Europeans would not come easily. As Schuman said:

"Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity."

Monnet and Schuman had a dream of a united Europe and their vision became true. May 9 has been declared by the European Union the “Europe Day”. Now, 50 years later, what comes next? What will happen with the European dream? Will Icelanders decide freely to join in that dream?

It is impossible to think about the future of Iceland without knowing how the European Union will evolve in the next years. It is fact Europe, or the process of dynamic integration of now 27 countries, that will affect our future and our policies, far more than any other factor that we may think of.  Lets not forget that at least 25% of our legislation is coming now from the European Union through the European Economic Area Agreement. Whatever it may happen, Icelanders should have at least the right to be fully informed about the European integration.

The European Union is an extraordinary supranational structure without any other parallel in history. It is the first transnational political space of the world. For the first time being a collective group of people dares to think outside the box, beyond the nation, outside the traditional boundaries of the inherited state structures. But the European integration is never an easy project.

Europe is now at a crossroad. It is facing very important challenges that will even decide its future survival. The challenges come from a new 21st century. Whether we like or not, Europe must find its voice within the new geopolitical order, must fight for the preservation of the environment and our planet Earth, must react to adapt to the globalisation of the economy, must have a plan to adapt to the decline of its population, must have an integration policy for the new Europeans, must solve the problems derived from world inequality which cause massive immmigrations ways from Africa, South America and Asia, must find a balance between economic growth and its welfare state. And above all, Europe must become a role model in the world scenario so that its example of peace and supranational cooperation can inspire other regions….

I am not a “naïf” person. I foresee the problems, the obstacles, the prejudices, the fights, the hipocresies, the compromises to be made. I hear the voices that criticise even the European dream. But what I know for sure is that if this Europe does not work, if the European Union is unable to fight for its own project face to the new world challenges, if Europe stays simply as it is, we will loose all of us.

The European dream started as a new supranational experiment. 50 years down the road, the European dream has now given way to a European way of life. Despite our differences (we live after all in the region with the most diverse cultures of the world), there is a European common vision.

To pursue the European dream may not be now the favourite project of our political elites but the pressure is coming from below, from the real people who want to change their world and make this dream come true. Unlikely as it might have seemed, true “Europeans” have emerged, among generations of children, now adults, who have been educated to see the world through a non-nationalistic lens. Icelanders themselves seem to have been affected somehow by the European “virus” as the latest polls suggest.

The process of European unification is now irreversible. The European Union must continue its mission, step by step, through any formulas it might find suitable, with or without the tensions and debates it always provoques. It is the most remarquable goal of human mankind to preserve the wealth and the pacific cohabitation of more than 500 million of inhabitants of different languages, origin, beliefs, cultures and traditions. Lets go on dreaming. Lets ask our politicians to fight for Europe, for the only possible answer to the challenges of the 21st century.

 

See Conclusions and Recomendations of the Committee on Europe - Iceland - March 2007 at this website

 

http://forsaetisraduneyti.is/utgefid-efni/nr/2558