Appreciation of Agence Europe's role
The Altiero Spinelli Institute on Federalist Studies awarded its 2010 Prize for Journalistic Services on European Political Unity to the press agency Agence Europe; the prize-giving ceremony took place on August 29 in Ventotene, a small Mediterranean island in Italy where Altiero Spinelli was imprisoned by the fascist regime and where he wrote his celebrated Manifesto recommending the creation of a European Federation.

A message of confidence
I am not going to highlight the importance and scope of Altiero Spinelli's work or the role of Agence Europe in helping people understand this bold adventure that changed the face of the world. I would like to stress the message of confidence and the enthusiasm of the speakers in a debate on the Schuman Declaration, in reaction to the currently fashionable apathy. Lucio Levi, chair of the European Federalist Movement, pointed out how much the main goals of the founders of Europe have already been achieved. The reconciliation of peoples who had been butchering one another during the cruelest and most inexorable war in history only months before, the scrapping of border controls, supranational institutions, an elected European Parliament with genuine powers, the single currency - all this is in existence despite the wars that continue to exist elsewhere in the world. There are still big lacunas, of course, and Levi explained that progress is essential, yet he said that the European Federation already exists in part.

MEP Gianluca Susta then described the current time as a moment of hope, explaining not only the many disappointments but also the various options opened in the field of foreign relations by the European diplomatic corps and in the field of business by the emergence of a common European economic governance, which may be embryonic but exists nevertheless. He also pointed out how Europe is in the avant-garde when it comes to the climate - he added that he'd like President Obama to adopt similar positions to Europe's on climate issues.

The other speaker, Pier Virgilio Dastoli, who worked directly with Altiero Spinelli at both the European Commission and the European Parliament in Strasbourg, naturally regretted that the programmes launched by the great visionary had not succeeded at the time, but he said that 60% of the current achievements and projects are based on what Spinelli recommended and prepared for back then.

These messages to young people on the small island where the imprisoned Altiero Spinelli wrote his European Manifesto reinforce my conviction that the European project is far from going through a period of stagnation and crisis and is actually preparing its recovery, even in areas where all previous attempts have failed, like economic governance, foreign policy and defence. The agreement that has just been reached on financial supervision is a significant feat and several signs show that the energy industry may soon be added to the list of innovations.

Return to the intergovernmental method?
I am well aware of the fear that the EU is gradually slipping backwards into an intergovernmental type of management to the detriment of the Community method. The greater weight of the European Council is described as a symptom of this. The danger certainly exists and must be closely monitored. But we should not forget that the European Council is a European institution with a permanent President who is not a national head of state, so the holders of real power in the member states can no longer wriggle around the Community method. I believe this development should be seen as a positive step in itself. It is risky, as Martin Schulz makes clear, but the risks can be managed through the increasing role of the European Parliament (which is in the process of properly assuming its greater powers and responsibility) and the gradual enhancement of how the president of the Commission and the president of the European Council will work together. Both presidents come from small member states and are probably keen to safeguard the Community method. The “big countries” are tempted to throw their weight around but are increasingly aware that their weight in the world depends these days on whether they speak for Europe rather than just for their own country; and they aim to speak for Europe as often as possible. If the other EU institutions function as they should, then the Community method will be safe.


The text originally appeared in A Look Behind The News, Agence Europe, September 4, 2010.