European Development Quotes

Europe was born with Jean Monnet but then was progressively transformed.

From Caesar's legions to the Napoleonic wars. From the Reformation, the Enlightenment and the industrial revolution to the defeat of nazism. We have helped to write European history, and Europe has helped write ours.

But Maastricht was not the end of history. It was a first step towards a Europe of growth, of employment, a social Europe. That was the vision of Francois Mitterrand. We are far from that now.

In Europe it is particularly important that we build good relations to everyone who holds political responsibility because Europe can only be build together.

Individual acts have made Europe a civilized place and are key to its development. We must not forget it.

This revision of the Constitution will not be perfect. But at least the Constitution will not be inflexible. It will be a step towards the Social Europe which we wish.

The Europe we are in the process of building is the Europe of the 21st century; it's not the Europe of the 20th century.

So I think that is from the European perspective, for the European future, this engagement can be one of the most important and effective decisions in the last 50 years maybe.

Perhaps I am following in the footsteps of François Mitterrand, who really did want to shape Europe. My predecessors, by contrast, thought it was best to say nothing at all and to keep all their options open. That may sound like a tactical approach, but perhaps it was simply because they didn't have any ideas for Europe at all.

It is not more Europe or less Europe that we need. We need a better Europe.