Europe Day: Peaceful Relations In Aftermath Of War …

• June 29th, 2010
• Posted by EUEditor

European leaders at commemorations around the world since May 5, Europe Day, have declared that the “Europe of Values” is set up for the long term.

The European Union Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand, David Daly,  (pictured, with the President of the Europe Council in Australia, Elfi Massey-Vallazza),  said  the EU had demonstrated strong political will in the financial crisis, so “the European Union still exists, and the Euro still exists”.

NATIONAL PARTNERS

The Ambassador, and Head of the EU Delegation, said the European project would continue in strength because of its history, size and values.

It had begun as a partnership for stronger economic ties and peaceful relations,  and had continued to grow in strength,  currently responsible for 22% of world Gross Domestic Product.

Among its global impacts, the EU was accounting for 60% of development aid assistance to outside countries.

“Yet it does not depend on size alone, but rather what values it applies”, Mr Daly said, citing the promotion of freedom, equality and the rule of law, and social solidarity.

“These give the European Union a distinctive way of life.”

Speaking at a Europe Day reception in Brisbane (28.6.10), he said the member countries of the EU had been working together on common challenges in the economy.

They had produced support packages for the public borrowing crisis in  Greece, and later in other countries,  and the coordinated economic strategy called “Europe 2020”.

Joint measures also  included further fiscal consolidation  in budgeting across the 27  member states, and tightening of supervision and regulation in financial markets, in step with proposals put forward at the world economic summit –the G20 — on the weekend.

“It should come as no surprise that the European Union looks on Australia as a national partner, and there should be no surprise either that this relationship is flourishing”, he said.

PROMOTING EUROPE’S LINE

Those lines echoed statements by EU leaders at the Brussels economic forum (25.5.10).

The European Council President, Herman Van Rompuy,  opened the gathering, saying “we are not in a monetary Armageddon.”

“The crisis has highlighted the adaptability and flexibility of the Community approach”,  said Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission.

“ From this point of view, we proved again that the EU is more than ‘just’ an international organisation.

“Five decades of economic and institutional integration have formed an order of shared peace and prosperity, something we – that is the Member States through the EU institutions – want to defend and project into the future. ”

EUROPE  DAY – TIME FOR SYMBOLS

The European Union promotes its commemorative day as a time for optimistic symbolism.

It says:

“On the 9th of May 1950, Robert Schuman presented his proposal on the creation of an organised Europe, indispensable to the maintenance of peaceful relations.

“This proposal, known as the ‘Schuman declaration’, is considered to be the beginning of the creation of what is now the European Union.

“Today, the 9th of May has become a European symbol (Europe Day) which, along with the flag, the anthem, the motto and the single currency (the euro), identifies the political entity of the European Union. Europe Day is the occasion for activities and festivities that bring Europe closer to its citizens and peoples of the Union closer to one another.”

Reference

EU, “Coping with Crisis: Brussels Economic Forum”, European Union Delegation Australia, Canberra, newsletter 275, 27.5.10. www.delaus.ec.europa.eu/, (28.6.10).

EU, Brussels, home, “Europe Day, 9 May”. http://europa.eu/abc/symbols/9-may/index_en.htm, (28.6.10).

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