EUROPE DAY/Former ForMin Corlatean says EU not fully operating as united, solidary body during pandemic

Romania's former Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean says the Schuman Declaration of May 9, 1950, because of its symbolism, is more valid than ever, because, given that during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic period the EU has shown that "it does not fully operate" as a united, solidary body.

"May 9 is Europe Day and this year marks the 70th anniversary of the French foreign minister's famous speech to the international press, the so-called Schuman Declaration. The declaration was made after Schuman had to convince the French Government of the ideas he wanted to promote. He proposed a vision of an organised Europe based on co-operative relations - the future of a united Europe. What was the main idea? The call was for France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg to make a historic gesture after the WWII to pool together their coal and steel industries, a sector that was the base of the military industry, and practically to lay the foundations of a supranational European institution that would allow a formula of much closer co-operation among countries that had been on enemy positions in WWII, and which, practically, through this co-operation, to eliminate the risk of war," Corlatean told AGERPRES on Friday.

He emphasised that "Schuman's visionary idea, to which Jean Monnet actually contributed", was the basis of the future united Europe and recalled that then, at the Milan Summit in 1985, the leaders of the European Community decided that day May 9 should be Europe Day.

"Its symbolism is more valid than ever, especially in this period of crisis, of health, pandemic and economic crisis, because the idea of close co-operation at a European level, of a partnership that includes solidarity, is an extremely precious idea during this trying period, when the EU has demonstrated that it does not fully operate as a united and solidary body; there have been failures this time, and unfortunately, disappointment has arisen in some EU member states, especially among the public. The case of Italy is obvious, which is why it is important to remember, during the trying period, the benefits of the EU design of a united Europe in all the past decades, because Europe has reached a level of prosperity, democracy, respect for fundamental rights and freedoms, of free movement, a level that other continents have not," added Corlatean.

According to the former head of Romanian diplomacy, the Schuman Declaration must be an incentive for pro-European forces not to abandon the design of a united Europe.

"So the Schuman Declaration of May 9, 1950, through its symbolism, is more valid than ever. It must be an incentive for pro-European forces, for political actors, for decision-makers, for civil society not to abandon in any way the design of a united and more solidary Europe, which will give the answers expected by the citizens during trying times, as it is the current period," Corlatean pointed out.

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Europe Day has been observed every year on May 9 since 1985, when a decision was made at the Milan European Council to create the holiday. The date marks the day on which the Schuman Declaration was issued.

Seventy years ago, on May 9, 1950, five years after WWII, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman proposed, in a speech, to place the production of coal and steel under the control of a common authority, this way to control arms production and make sure that a future military conflict could be avoided. The proposal is seen as the cornerstone of today's European Union.