European Economic and Social Committee

PRESS RELEASE No 20/2007 / 15 March 2007

Max Kohnstamm at the EESC Plenary: "The future of Europe is the future of the world"

Max Kohnstamm, former Secretary of the ECSC High Authority and colleague of Jean Monnet, addressed the Plenary Session of the EESC as a guest of honour on 14 March on the occasion of the 50 years of European Integration. Mr Kohnstamm talked about the past and the future of the European Union, which he described as a peaceful revolution that begun in 1957 with the Schuman plan. He praised the EESC's contribution to this ongoing project. Having experienced the last world war he stated that where the law stops, hell begins.

In his intervention Dimitris Dimitriadis, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), said that the European Union must prove to its citizens that it is an entity worth to be trusted by them. "Europe must give the means, the opportunities and the reasons to its youth to be interested in Europe".

Mr Kohnstamm expressed his content that there is a pan-European debate on the future of Europe and his conviction that there will be a solution. On the challenges that the EU faces, he said that he is not worried about the internal relations inside the EU, but about Europe's position in the international arena, as "the future of Europe is the future of the world". He named as one of the greatest achievements of Europe the fact that "never again will there be a war between European states". He also characterised the EESC an important part of the European Integration as "it is directly engaged with stakeholders, it is in direct touch with the public".

In the debate that followed, Staffan Nilsson, president of the Various Interests Group, pointed out that one of the accomplishments of the EU is the respect for the differences and the human values. Henri Malosse, president of the Employers' Group, proposed a new road map for Europe based on innovation, education and democratisation while Mario Sepi, president of the Employees' Group, said that the innovation that Europe needs is a social one and the proper balance between economy, society and environment.

Resolution on the 50th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome

The EESC Plenary also adopted a resolution to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome. Apart from the achievements so far, the EESC reaffirmed its commitment to the European project and targeted some of the challenges facing the EU, calling for new policies in the field of, among others, energy, climate change, immigration, poverty and social exclusion. It also highlighted the value of participatory democracy, as the only approach able to transform the European Union so that the people of Europe are genuine players in the integration process.

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The European Economic and Social Committee represents the various economic and social components of organised civil society. It is an institutional consultative body established by the 1957 Treaty of Rome. Its consultative role enables its members, and hence the organisations they represent, to participate in the Community decision-making process. The Committee has 344 members, who are appointed by the Council of Ministers.