« Antidemocratic and xenophobic forces of Europe have always been attracted by the European unity dream, the mystic of the imperial Rome»
(FB - 1998)
" Being a citizen is a voluntary act "
(FB - 2009)
"Thinking about the future only makes sense if it is aimed at improving one’s thinking about the present and about the trends at work"
(FB - 1998)
"The European project is not a dream, but a hope. It is rooted in rationality, which is not the case with dreams. We Europeans have seen our dreams end in nightmares too often not to be suspicious."
(FB - 2005)
"The strength of a network is judged at the information level of the weakest link, or more precisely the link furthest from the centre of the network."
(FB - 2004)
"Europe's destiny is escaping the two "Greats" and it will come knocking on the door of the Europeans."
(FB - 1989)
"The history of Europe is a bit like a multifaceted diamond. Everyone sees the same diamond... but no one sees exactly the same facets."
(FB - E-storia project, 2004)
"Let us dare the future as the founding fathers of Europe did"
(FB - "From EU to Euroland", 2001)
"The European citizenship can not be decreed. The European citizen can only be born..."
(FB - 1992)
"Every state is a minority in the EU. In any case, let’s not forget that if all our states went into building the EU it is because they all felt too small to face alone both their future and the rest of the world."
(FB - 2003)
"From a single (EU) Currency to a single (EU) Citizenship. The euro is only an instrument."
(FB - 1997)
"An empire is always providing platforms where conflicts and wars prolife­rate... an empire needs enemies, whilst a Community requires partners."
(FB - 1992)
"Europe’s history has taught us that dreams and nightmares are the two faces of the same coin"
(FB - “Europe is Peace” 2006)
"Everybody wants to have a successful enlargement whereas it is a successful enlarged EU which is important."
(FB - 2002)
"It is clear that the existing national political parties can not serve two masters: national and European."
(FB - IDE, 1989)
"It takes teamwork to make Europe move forward."
(FB - 2005)
"There is nothing like one European. The European is a team of Europeans... the only way we can imagine a European, it is a team of people from different countries, not a single man or woman."
(FB - Enschede (NL) 2012)
"On the horizon with a heaven of freedom and a land of responsibility, this is perhaps the soul of Europe."
(FB - 1992)
"The future challenge for the European project is not about Europe anymore, it is about the Europeans."
(FB - 2005)
"The more Brussels speaks English, the less Brussels understands the Europeans"
(FB - 2004)
"Occupy the Future of Europe!"
("What do YOU want as a future for AEGEE?" Franck Biancheri at the 2012 Agora in Enschede)
"To combine new technologies and democratic principles to succeed in the entry of European integration in the 21st century or e-democracy at the service of Euro-democracy"
(FB - EUSV, 2001)
"In the years 00 of the 21st century, democratization can only take place in the perspective of the democratic election of a European executive that remains to be invented."
(FB - EUSV, 2001)
"We must build the European Community, otherwise Europe will soon be culturally Americanised, politically Finlandised and technologically Japanised"
EGEE I, 1984

Comments on a proposed „Treaty for the Democratisation of the Eurozone“ by Thomas Piketty and Friends (Christel Hahn)Commentaires sur le „traité de démocratisation de la zone Euro“ présenté par Thomas Piketty et amis (Christel Hahn)

Piketty’s „Pour un traité de démocratisation de l’Europe“, which is available in french since March, has just been released in german as „Für ein anderes Europa“ (for a different Europe). The subtitle of the german book clarifies, that the book presents a „Treaty for the Democratisation of the Eurozone“1, a very specific project, which of course should generally advance the democratisation of Europe.

The book of the famous economist is co-authored by a law professor and two political scientists and its core is the presentation of a draft treaty T-Dem (or DemV in german) for the establishment of a Parliamentary Assembly of the Eurozone. To show the legality and feasability of such a treaty the authors argue, that the ESM Treaty, which has been adopted by the Eurozone member states in a situation of emergency and has been found by the European Court of Justice to not violate the committment of these member states to the European Union as such, has created together with the establishment of the Eurogroup a necessary, but intransparent and undemocratic power mechanism, which is in urgent need of democratic control and legitimisation. So with the same urgency and with the same logic, that was approved by the European Court of Justice, a T-Dem should be conceived and implemented very fast to ensure the democratic and proper functioning of the Currency Union…

⇒ Read full article on #CitizensRoute73’Mag: Comments on a proposed „Treaty for the Democratisation of the Eurozone“ by Thomas Piketty and Friends (Christel Hahn)

Le livre de Piketty „Pour un traité de démocratisation de l’Europe“, disponible en français depuis Mars, vient juste d’être publié en allemand sous le titre „Für ein anderes Europa“. Le sous-titre du livre allemand indique que l’ouvrage présente un projet très particulier, celui de „traité de démocratisation de la zone Euro“1, qui devrait de manière générale aider à la démocratisation de l’Europe.

Le livre du célèbre économiste est co-écrit par un professeur de droit et deux chercheurs en science politique. Son objectif est de présenter le projet de traité T-Dem (DemV en allemand) qui devrait permettre la mise en place d’une assemblée parlementaire de la zone Euro. Pour démontrer la légitimité et la faisabilité d’un tel traité les auteurs s’appuient sur l’adoption du traité du MES, négocié en toute urgence par les états-membres de la zone Euro, jugé par la Cour de Justice européenne comme ne remettant pas pas en cause les engagements de ces états-membres à l’égard de l’UE en tant que telle, avait créé cependant aux côtés de l’Eurogroupe un mécanisme de pouvoir, certes nécessaire, mais non transparent et anti-démocratique, qui nécessite d’urgence contrôle démocratique et légitimité. C’est avec cette même urgence et ce même appel à légitimité, auxquels la Cour de Justice européenne n’avait rien trouvé à redire, que devrait être négocié et mis en place très vite ce T-Dem pour renforcer le fonctionnement, qui plus est, démocratique, de l’Union monétaire…

⇒ Lire l’article entier sur #CitizensRoute73’Mag: Commentaires sur le „traité de démocratisation de la zone Euro“ présenté par Thomas Piketty et amis (Christel Hahn)