When Malta became a member of the European Union on 1 May 2004, it joined an organisation that is indispensable for the maintenance of peaceful relations in Europe – the same principles that were proposed by French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman back in May 1950.

The declaration made by Schuman is considered by many to be the beginning of the creation of what is now the European Union. This day was given its due recognition in 1985 during the Milan summit, when it was adopted as Europe Day.

This day comes very close to Victory Day. Although this is incidental, it suits the purpose very much, since the European Union was born from the ashes of World War II.

The 9th of May 1950 was the first step towards the creation of what is the European Union today – a union based on peace and solidarity. In Paris that day, against the backdrop of the threat of a Third World War engulfing the whole of Europe, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman read to the international press a declaration calling France, Germany and other European countries to pool together their coal and steel production as “the first concrete foundation of a European federation”.

What he projected was the creation of a European collaboration in the coal and steel industry – the very sector that was, at that time, the basis of all military power. The nations that he addressed were the same nations that, only a few years earlier, had almost destroyed each other in the largest conflict the world had ever witnessed.

Following the commemorations that celebrated the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome earlier this year, this year’s Europe Day has a double meaning. Apart from being the stepping-stone for the creation of the European Union, it also shows that what Robert Schuman predicted 57 years ago is occurring right in front of our eyes.

Quoting from Robert Schuman’s declaration: “Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity.”

The treaties that followed, together with subsequent enlargements, built the European Union into a 27-member-state organisation, making it what it is today – a union of European citizens based on peace and solidarity.

Jean Monnet, another person who contributed to the foundations of the European family, also forecast what we have managed to achieve: “We are not forming coalitions of states, we are uniting men”.

This is very true indeed. The programmes financed by the European Union are not only uniting European citizens among themselves to share their experiences and understand each other better, but are also uniting people from third countries, thanks to specific projects.

Working together with other states is enabling the European Union to spread and promote the basic principles on which it was founded – peace and solidarity.

As part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, leaders from member states signed a declaration, the Berlin declaration, and committed themselves to continue working to promote gender equality, human dignity and respect of human rights within the European Union and on a global level. At the same time, the European Union is committed to protect its citizens’ interests, both within its borders and in the international sphere. Finally, but importantly, the heads of state committed themselves to keep the European Union young and alive.

Quoting from the declaration: “With European unification, a dream of earlier generations has become a reality. Our history reminds us that we must protect this for the good of future generations. For that reason, we must always renew the political shape of Europe in keeping with the times.”

These values have been put down in a more popular manner in the song that won the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1990. The song Insieme:1992 by Toto Cutugno says that “our country, where we are living in more freedom, under one sky, under one flag, always growing and never alone, what once was a dream has become reality…”. It is a pity that such a great lyricist and singer was booed at a performance held in Malta during the MLP’s Worker’s Day festivities These incidents confirm that nothing has changed in the Socialist mentality in our country and that they still cannot understand that the European Union is beneficial to Maltese society as a whole.

The Nationalist Party was founded on these same values, the principles of freedom and social justice according to Maltese, Christian and European tradition. These common values have proved essential to the common growth of the modern world.

That is why the Nationalist Party believes that our place is within the European Union and it is our duty to continue promoting these pillars of society so that our children may find a better place in which to live.

David Casa is a Nationalist MEP

www.davidcasa.eu

[email protected]