« 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

20 years for the project Europe 2020 launched by Franck Biancheri in Athens, May 1998

 

In this speech of Athens, delivered in the Congress “Reinventing Europe : Launch of the project Europe 2020” organized in May 1998 by Prometheus-Europe networks, Franck Biancheri delineates 2020 as the horizon to successfully transform Europe taking into account the challenges of history: Euro, enlargement, new century, new world … a Europe that should be democratic, transparent, efficient, exploring the path of sustainable development, a Europe in the world that is serene, active, without hang-ups, aware of its history and its consequences

 

In line with his 1985 commitment, when he founded AEGEE-Europe, the declaration announced the creation of the think-tank Europe 2020 in 1999, the launching of the Newropeans 2000 conference: “New Europe, new generations, new challenges, the publication of the book “Vision Europe 2020” based on which Franck Biancheri initiated the first European democratic marathon around the theme “Where is Europe going? “.

 

The Athens speech is a fundamental one that challenges past, present and future, the institutions and their civil servants, policy makers, economic leaders, media, networks, and citizens, the European community on the path that Europe has already known, and the ways open to it.

 

A speech which, unfortunately, has not taken a wrinkle – Europe just became heavier: the euro in the pockets of 350 million citizens, a Europe-15 extended to 28, today as yesterday the same question: where are we? where is Europe? what is needed to reinvent Europe?

 

And the statement is the same today as Franck Biancheri brought 20 years earlier: we can only be very worried about the ride we took…

 

As Franck Biancheri had anticipated: “admist the problems which the Euro might face, in the period of expansion, the impact is going to increase, and so is the importance of … anti-democratic movements, accumulating, as Franck Biancheri described it: “bizarre démago-political cocktails from nationalistiv ideas with the aspirations to obtain an exclusive and authoritarian Europe… Adding to that the fact that growth is no longer, we are left to understand that between yesterday and today, we played the fate of European citizens roulette.

 

History, successes, failures, lessons and handing over to the new generations will be presented during a major conference aimed at bringing together all those who have met Franck and his successors along these past 35 years of an enormous fight for the anchoring of the European administrative machinery to European citizens’ interest. A historical Congress in order to assess the work and to hand over the European democratization project to the new generations, real owners of this 21st century Europe.

 

From now on, all those who have crossed Franck’s path, who either met him personally or his successors since 1985, are cordially invited to make themselves known. -> More about: Europe 2020 Congress (or join our event on facebook).

 

The Athens speech will obviously be a reference to allow us measure the successes and failures of European construction.

Download pdf: Reinventing Europe : Launch of the project Europe 2020 (Franck Biancheri, Athens May 1998)