To start pageEurope is growing together. On 1 May 2004, after long labour pains, the old European Union of the Fifteen became the EU of the Twenty-five. Hardly anyone doubts that Romania and Bulgaria will be the next members in 2007. Turkey remains under discussion as a candidate, however shrilly the German conservatives may foretell the downfall of the Christian Occident.
For decades the unification of the continent was being spurred on by a twofold process. On the one hand there was the attempt to draw the lessons from the history of the two world wars that emanated from Europe. A strong movement for the unification of Europe also arose from the anti-Fascist resistance. The ruling elites as well had realised that without a fundamental change in the relations between Germany and France in particular a lasting peace in Europe was not possible. A Europe came into being whose members, once “hereditary enemies”, have not waged war against one another for almost sixty years. At the same time, the unification of Europe was also a project of big business. The EU of liberalised markets and of the common military bears its handwriting. ...