Notre Europe's viewpoint
| 27/07/2007
July traditionally marks the beginning of a new presidency of the EU Council. It is Portugal's turn to chair the "states chamber"¯, in close cooperation with the Presidencies of the Commission and Parliament - which together form the "triangle"¯ so central to Community method. Many believe that these "summer presidencies"¯ only truly start in September, yet this particular one has already launched the intergovernmental conference (on 23 July), aiming to transform the political agreement achieved at the June European Council into a Reform Treaty.
Maria Rodrigues, member of Notre Europe's board and special adviser to the Portuguese prime minister tells us in our interview how she views the European agenda over the coming months. An exciting topic for our readers, no doubt! The Summer break should thus give us time to approach this topic with fresh eyes. Also figure in this issue, a note on Vivien Schmidt's latest book on European democracy, reflexions on the future of European food and agriculture as well as an interview with Romanian philosopher Andrei Plesu, which forms part of Notre Europe's project on European identity.
This interview, the sixth in our series of "Rencontres européennes" promises to challenge the most eager supporters of growth and competition. Indeed, according to Andrei Plesu, "Europe is not made for speed"¯; one will not be surprised if there is more melancholic talk than of the optimistic Lisbon strategy or of pedestrian hikes rather than low-cost flights. Through Plesu's very own words, the East converses with the West inviting it to meditate on its past, urging it to put pressing matters aside for the time being and take a small introspective break.
Indeed, admittedly Eastern and Western Europeans don't live on the same time-frame and they don't rock to the same beat. "Standardization"¯ is taking its toll at the East : the introduction of competition rules are kicking in and the relation to time there is suddenly changing. Stress which was virtually unheard of before, has now become an inevitable component of this ruthless quest for optimum efficiency and an daily burden to millions of workers. Holiday-makers travelling across Europe this Summer won't be disappointed nonetheless: the train trip from Brussels to Bucharest remains a fantastic trip through time!
Vis-a-vis this shift, several attitudes can be envisaged. We can resign ourselves to a "two-speed Europe"¯ or hope that the combined effects of economic growth and structural funds will help new Member States catch up. This should not prevent us, however from considering, as Andrei Plesu subtly invites us to consider this "dissymmetrical experiment "¯ as a salutary dynamic for a European Union which fails to find a fitting cruising speed between its various "breakdowns"¯ and successive "revivals"¯. If there is in fact an appropriate tempo which could appeal to all Europeans, it will necessarily be the result of a fruitful tension between these two time-frames: the Eastern one and the Western one. The moment perhaps has come for our enlarged Union to adhere to Augustus's saying: festina lente, feast slowly.
Thus, Andrei Plesu offers us a beautiful summer praise to slowing down. In this time of summery pleasures we warmly recommend you Plesu's book as an ideal "holiday read "¯. In turn, we will also take some time off in the sun and follow his own recommendations: take time off to rest and reflect.
Have a relaxing holiday and see you in September for our next newsletter!
