What should ‘Europe’ be called?, October 2002

Speaking at the College of Europe in Bruges on 2 October 2002, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, Chairman of the European Convention on the Future of Europe, suggested four possible names for the 'New Europe' which will emerge from the current debate: European Community, European Union, United Europe, United States of Europe.

The speech, together with a subsequent interview in the Financial Times, gives some insights into how the Convention is progressing, and how Mr Giscard d'Estaing himself views some of the issues. He sees the Convention process as a recognition that the European Union has 'reached a major turning-point in its history, and that it must therefore rethink, readjust and - in part - reinvent the system, and propose a New Europe. This is partly in response to the forthcoming enlargement and because the competence of the EU has broadened 'beyond the initial ambitions and powers in the Treaty of Rome: external policy, defence policy, and justice and internal security policy.'

The speech outlined the process of the Convention, emphasising that it is the 'first time in the history of European integration [that] representatives of the institutions (of the European Parliament and Commission), of the Member States' governments and national parliaments are being asked to reflect together on the future of Europe.'

The first 'listening' phase, in which the views of interested parties were sought, has given way to a second 'study' phase in which members of the Convention are asked to consider how the Union 'can best perform the tasks which it clearly has to undertake, and how to ensure that the boundaries of its tasks are clearly understood and respected.'

For the current phase, the 115-member forum has been divided into 10 working groups, which will report back shortly. Their recommendations will be the subject of individual plenary sessions, to be held before Christmas. The Chairman has urged them to work on simplifying the 1,045-page texts which constitute the Union's existing legal framework.

The Convention's third and final 'proposals' phase will seek to identify the best options for achieving the Union's aims. Final proposals are expected next summer.

Mr Giscard d'Estaing's speech mentioned that the Convention seems likely to recommend that the EU adopts a 'single legal personality'. If it does, then it is possible that the EC Treaty and the Treaty on European Union (the Rome and Maastricht treaties) will be merged and simplified. However, he suggested that the issue of legal personality raises a number of questions:

• Who will embody that legal personality which we are to endow with a constitution?
• What will be the nature of our new and better Union?
• What will this new and better Union be called?

With reference to the question of nature, Mr Giscard d'Estaing said 'I see it as being a Union of European States closely coordinating their policies and administering certain common competences, along federal lines.'

He also addressed the issue of what to call the 'New Europe', arguing 'This is no trivial issue, for the name has a symbolic force, making clear to every citizen the nature and thrust of the European project.' He proposed four possible names: European Community, European Union, United Europe, United States of Europe.

The former French President would like to gauge the views of Europe's citizens, especially young people, on what they think the EU should be called - before the issue is discussed by the Convention in plenary session. (BBC News Online used the term 'rebranding' to refer to the question of finding a name to make the EU 'seem more relevant to ordinary people.')

He also mentioned the idea of creating a 'Congress of the Peoples of Europe', which would periodically bring together Members of the European Parliament and a 'proportional number' of representatives from national parliaments to review the 'State of the Union'. It would also 'be consulted on the development of the Union and its possible future enlargement. At regular fixed times it would hear a report from the President of the Council and the President of the Commission on the external and internal State of the Union and could make, or confirm, appointments to certain high political offices in the Union.'

According to the Financial Times, Mr Giscard d'Estaing 'wants to bridge the old division between those who believe that a bigger European Union means that the European Commission must have more powers and those who think that individual governments should be calling the shots.'

Mr Giscard d'Estaing appears to be against giving the Commission more power, preferring to focus instead on greater cooperation between the Member States.

'He makes little secret that he would prefer the reformed EU to be called United Europe - "which has the advantage of putting the word Europe first". And so it does - in French.'

Links:

European Commission:
	02.10.02:	Speech by Valery Giscard d'Estaing, Chairman of the European Convention
FT.Com:
	07.10.02:	Inside Brussels: Less logic, more history
BBC News Online:
	07.10.02:	Rebranding could create 'United Europe'

Eric Davies
KnowEurope Researcher,
Compiled: Wednesday, 9 October 2002

Speaking at the College of Europe in Bruges on 2 October 2002, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, Chairman of the European Convention on the Future of Europe, suggested four possible names for the 'New Europe' which will emerge from the current debate: European Community, European Union, United Europe, United States of Europe.