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Questions d'Europe n

March 2003

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This would be another Europe

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Editor : Fondation Robert Schuman

L'Union européenne a brûlé ses vaisseaux : elle a décidé que le big bang de l'élargissement à dix pays nouveaux aurait lieu le 1er mai 2004, sans s'être assurée que la maison commune serait prête à temps pour les accueillir. La Convention présidée par Valéry Giscard d'Estaing a dix-huit mois pour en dessiner l'architecture.

Au départ se sont affrontés les tenants habituels de l'Europe confédérale et de l'Europe communautaire.Mais l'Union dont nous avons besoin en ce début du XXIe siècle sera très différente de la petite Europe des "pères fondateurs" : Ce sera une autre Europe. Elle devra prendre en compte la révolution du nombre - les règles du Marché Commun des Six ne peuvent décidément plus s'appliquer à l'Europe politique des Trente - et surtout la révolution du peuple: les citoyens seront appelés à ratifier cette première Constitution de l'Europe. Ce sont eux qui auront le dernier mot. Et qui voudront le conserver, en élisant eux-mêmes "Monsieur" ou "Madame Europe".

Membre de la Convention européenne, Alain Lamassoure, ancien ministre, député européen, livre ici les cailloux blancs dont il essaie de jalonner sa route vers ce continent encore inconnu.

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