Future of
Europe/European integration - 05-12-2005 - 15:01 |
Europe - which way forward?
 Europa Quo Vadis -
Debate |
Europe must define its objectives, borders
and future common policies - that was the message of a debate
"Europa Quo Vadis" hosted by the Parliament on 1 December. It
brought together past and present European leaders to debate
the future direction of the continent. Former President of the
European Commission Jacques Delors argued that Europe should
respect the rights of all countries to express their opinion
on the EU Constitution - "let them be heard" he said.
Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt
said sometimes he had the impression "that we are not allowed
to think about the future of
Europe." Jacques Delors went on to stress that
different approaches to Europe should be considered:
"differentiation is back on the agenda, it has to be,
otherwise it isn't possible to reconcile widening and
deepening." Former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem
Brundtland said we need a Europe that stands for...sustainable
development and the rule of law that symbolises these values
to the rest of the world". She went on to warn that "if the EU
is unable to organise politically and enlarge the benefits to
all, it's difficult to see how international cooperation can
be successful." The President of the European Parliament Josef
Borrell opened the meeting calling for a debate about the role
of Europe, the identity of Europe, and finally its limits and
objectives. When it
came to discussing how Europe would move forward as an
enlarged bloc of 25 or more, Gyula Horn, former Prime Minister
of Hungary, called for a special approach from the old 15
EU members towards the new central and eastern European
countries that joined in May 2004. This was necessary as "such
a huge transformation has never occurred in our history."
György Konrád, a former Hungarian President of the Academy of
Arts stressed the cultural richness of the continent saying
that European identity lies in "literature, learning and
curiosity." The
debate was organized by the European Parliament, the City of
Aachen and the Charlemagne Prize Foundation - whose annual
prize is awarded to "the individuals or institution for
significant contribution in promoting European integration
process". Five of the participants
- Jacques Delors, Gyula Horn, Gro Harlem Brundtland, György
Konrád and Pat Cox (who accepted in on behalf of the
Parliament during his Presidency) are former Charlemagne prize
laureates.
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