The sixteen EU member states Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Hungary, Malta, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and the Slovak Republic have something in common. What could it be?
EU symbols chucked
One of the victims of Lisbon Treaty peeling was Article I-8 of the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe on the symbols of the European Union:
Article I-8
The symbols of the Union
The flag of the Union shall be a circle of twelve golden stars on a blue background.
The anthem of the Union shall be based on the ‘Ode to Joy’ from the Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven.
The motto of the Union shall be: ‘United in diversity’.
The currency of the Union shall be the euro.
Europe day shall be celebrated on 9 May throughout the Union.
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Declaration 52
When the symbols of the European Union were left outside the Lisbon Treaty, sixteen EU member states made a joint declaration (52), where they saw the symbols as expressions of a sense of community of the people of the European Union and declared their allegiance to it:
52. Declaration by the Kingdom of Belgium, the Republic of Bulgaria, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Hellenic Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the Italian Republic, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Lithuania, the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Austria, the Portuguese Republic, Romania, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic on the symbols of the European Union
Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Hungary, Malta, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and the Slovak Republic declare that the flag with a circle of twelve golden stars on a blue background, the anthem based on the ‘Ode to Joy’ from the Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven, the motto ‘United in diversity’, the euro as the currency of the European Union and Europe Day on 9 May will for them continue as symbols to express the sense of community of the people in the European Union and their allegiance to it.
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Symbols and deeds?
If sixteen EU member states have declared faith in a sense of community, we can ask about the eleven who have not.
What is the view of the outsiders: the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, France, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom with regard to the European project?
Is there a link between endorsing the EU symbols and contributing to European integration in a spirit of solidarity?
Are some member states better Europeans than others?
Are symbols important?
Ralf Grahn
P.S. Do you find EUSSR myths fascinating? Are we EU citizens worth a better European Union? Read the Euroblogs aggregated on multilingual Bloggingportal.eu, and discuss our common European future.
Monday, 16 November 2009
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Ralf, surely the views you report say more about the political parties in power in the respective countries, than about their populaces?
ReplyDeleteSymbolism is a powerful instrument - whether by actions or by signs (such as the EU flag). Any student of change management would tell you this. Could it be that those dissenting form the majority view felt the EU had become so accepted as to be not worth pursuing? (And, conversely, that those supporting symbolism feel it necessary to enforce pro-EU sentiment?). In my long experience in change management, I can say that signs are useless unless supported by actions.
French Derek,
ReplyDeleteIn my view the relationship between political parties in power and populaces is one of correlation, symbiotic even.
The leading politicians have been voted in by the citizens, but on the other hand politicians tend to their own popularity by feeding the population messages suited to its beliefs and prejudices.
With regard to the EU symbols I would suggest that they are one, but not the sole, rough indication of a core Europe and a fringe of more lukewarm (intergovernmental) member states, although I would be interested to see others comment on the issue.