Address by Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, 26 October 2004
Mr President, Members of the European Parliament,
If we had to name something that is most intimately our own, we would probably say our mother tongue. Every member state accordingly attaches great importance to the recognition of its language in the European Union. For that reason I am addressing you today in Dutch. At the same time, I am convinced that cooperation in Europe will increasingly demand concessions of us in this field. Unless we want to turn the EU into a Tower of Babel, we shall have to make every effort to understand each other as clearly as possible. In a multilingual Europe, it is therefore very important for young people in particular to be encouraged to learn one or more foreign languages in order to be able to communicate directly with their fellow Europeans. Moreover, in a uniting Europe good communication - direct contact between people - forms the basis for mutual understanding.
In nineteen fifty the 'Founding Fathers' launched the first initiative for the European Communities, the forerunners of our Union. The idea particularly appealed to the older generation because it was a way to banish war from our continent, while for the younger generation it was pre-eminently an inspiring ideal and a challenge.
At the age of twenty-three I had to give a speech to an international group of young people who felt committed to that European ideal. They subsequently challenged me to put my words into action and to appeal to young people in other countries to join in thinking about the future of Europe. And so we set to work, with great enthusiasm. At that time Europe offered us completely new prospects. We could see opportunities to speak to our contemporaries across our borders, to establish contacts with them and to develop initiatives together. What started with such prosaic, factual building blocks as coal and steel grew to become a movement that would break down the dividing lines in Europe, keep the peace and give our continent new resilience and energy. Certainly not, as Robert Schuman said, as a 'saut dans l'inconnu' - a leap into the unknown - but as a leap towards a common future that now was clearly defined and anchored in treaties. We, the young people of that era, would participate whole-heartedly in that process and thus help shape our own future.
I gave that speech at a 'Rencontre Européenne des Étudiants', a European student congress, in Toulouse. When I reread those words today, I recognise the inspiration that held us in its sway at that time. We admired the vision and courage of the founders of the European Communities, but felt that the older generation focused too much on fine words and took too little action to really achieve European unity. "We have to admit," I said at the final session of the congress, "that instead of having common ideals we merely have problems, and that those problems constitute the only European unity today."
Now, forty-three years later, those words are fortunately no longer valid. European integration has taken convincing shape, and has become part of our lives. But there is little evidence nowadays of the idealism that gripped us then. Many people now are critical and primarily concerned about the obstacles that still have to be surmounted. Adhering to established agreements sometimes seems more difficult than first envisaged, unanimity on the course to be followed does not always hold firm. Fortunately, however, we can also note that the problems looming ahead are often the direct consequence of the rapid progress that has been made on European integration.
For those who doubt are ignoring the many things that our countries achieved since those early days. The original idea, uniting Europe, has made incredible strides that would probably have amazed the great founding fathers in the years after the catastrophic Second World War, despite all their vision and ambitions. The Union has banished war from its territory, subjected power to the rule of law and brought unprecedented prosperity to its member states. Despite delays and setbacks, the unique European experiment has led to impressive results.
The Union now brings together twenty-five European nations. As the first Head of State to address your assembly since the accession of the new member states, I should like today to extend a sincere welcome to their representatives in this Parliament. Everyone who cares about the European ideal has looked forward to this moment. Your countries have always belonged to Europe. Many of the new member states freed themselves from the oppression that kept our continent divided for so many years. We have the deepest respect for the conviction and the vigour they displayed. We also admire the enormous efforts all your countries made to put in place in such a short time the countless, often drastic preparatory measures necessary for accession to the Union.
With their arrival, the European family has become what the French call a 'famille nombreuse', a large family. We expect a lot from this enlargement. The great contribution of the new member states might well be that they bring with them the same drive and determination that they demonstrated in liberating themselves from Soviet domination and in their impressive efforts to prepare for membership. The EU as a whole will surely draw new strength and inspiration from this drive and from the enthusiasm with which you are beginning this new chapter - often with substantial input from a younger generation.
Whoever joins a new family will always be confronted with problems of adjustment - particularly when that family is from another country. We have some experience with this in my family! It is the newcomer who is usually required to make the greatest adjustment, though it might be fairer if both sides shared the burden more equally. This also applies to the enlargement of our community. The new member states will make every effort to fit in with what already exists within the Union, but the older member states must show an equal readiness to adapt. That is not only the attitude of good fellowship one would expect in these circles, it is also the shortest route to effective cooperation.
The fundamental principle of the European Union is that it is a community of law. The countries which are members - including those that have traditionally been among the most powerful countries in Europe - have placed themselves under the authority of the law in the interests of their common future. This is a unique step in the history of Europe. It also implies respect for the rights of every individual citizen. This anchoring of the Union in the law is aptly symbolised in the ceremony in which its highest officials swear an oath before the full European Court of Justice.
Our twenty-five countries are united - but 'in diversity'. Each cherishes its own identity, language and cultural heritage. This is Europe's distinctive strength and it is in all our interests to defend and preserve it with diligence. The continuing confrontation with other cultures makes us more aware both of our own culture and of our shared heritage. It also strengthens our ability to withstand the spirit of materialism and mass culture that is undeniably spreading - and in increasingly threatening forms - across the world.
To be able to function effectively the Union has to have clearly defined powers at its disposal in a number of fields. In other areas, where success is less dependent on joining forces, it may be more meaningful, as a counterbalance, to allow central government, local authorities and citizens themselves more latitude to seek their own solutions, either at national level or in cross-border regions. With a proper balance between central and delegated government, the Union will not create the impression of being an all-encompassing bureaucracy that alienates people. If responsibilities are clearly defined, and allocated and shouldered at the level where they best serve the interests of the community, the citizens of Europe will also better understand and respect the common interest.
Europe is more of an evolution than an ultimate goal. For some, this process is advancing too slowly, for others it is going too fast. Success often incites opposition. However, that does not mean that we should let it discourage us. Rather, it should be an incentive to carry on. In some instances we just have to wait for the right moment. Rome was not built in a day; the same is true of the edifice that was founded by the Treaty of Rome.
Our Union gains in strength when it opens up to countries that share our legal standards and make a great effort to meet the criteria. This realisation should encourage us to conduct the negotiations with those wishing to accede to the Union openly, honestly and without preconceptions. If peoples strive to make the difficult transition to a democratic system as smooth as possible, they deserve all the more appreciation and support.
In three days time the Constitutional Treaty will be signed in Rome. The preamble contains a solemn declaration that Europe will continue to strive for peace, justice and solidarity throughout the world. That is a lofty ambition. It affirms that this organised Europe identifies with the ideal of a similarly organised world. We respect and support the United Nations as a global organisation that propagates those same principles throughout the world. For all progress and development peace is the first precondition. But peace is fragile and requires intensive care. The countries of the European Union, that have been successful in maintaining peace within their borders, now support peace operations in other parts of the world - and send their troops to take part. With the Constitutional Treaty our countries are clearly stating that they accept their responsibilities vis-à-vis the world at large, and will continue to fight unceasingly against poverty, inequality and injustice.
Members of the European Parliament,
Our continent is home to an age-old spiritual kinship, a feeling of solidarity that makes us Europeans. In each of the treaties we have concluded, we have described ever more clearly the kind of civilisation in which we wish to live. Our European institutions, including your Parliament, are the pillars that support that civilisation.
It is my fervent wish that in fulfilling the challenging task of representing four hundred and fifty million Europeans, you may be given the inspiration that Europe today asks of us all.