Saturday, March 25, 2017

EU Leaders Stress Unity On The 60th Anniversary Of The Signing Of The Treaty of Rome

European Union leaders, including Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, posed for a photo on Saturday in Rome during a meeting on the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. Credit Tony Gentile/Reuters

New York Times: E.U. Leaders Sign Rome Declaration and Proclaim a ‘Common Future’ (Minus Britain)

ROME — Proclaiming “Europe is our common future,” 27 leaders of the European Union on Saturday signed a statement in Rome declaring their commitment to integrating the Continent even as a series of crises has badly weakened the efforts and Britain prepares to leave the bloc.

The statement, known as the Rome Declaration and signed on the anniversary of the day the union’s foundations were laid 60 years ago, underscored the aspirations of a “unique union with common institutions and strong values, a community of peace, freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.”

In a nod to reality, however, the leaders acknowledged that they were “facing unprecedented challenges, both global and domestic” including “regional conflicts, terrorism, growing migratory pressures, protectionism and social and economic inequalities.”

The ceremony took place in a hall here in Rome that was richly decorated in frescoes depicting scenes from the ancient world. It is the same room where the Treaty of Rome was signed on March 25, 1957, by six countries. That event helped lay the groundwork for today’s union.

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Update #1: EU leaders renew fraying Union's vows on 60th anniversary (Reuters)
Update #2: EU Leaders Pledge Unity Just Days Away From U.K. Exit Trigger (Bloomberg)

WNU Editor: These EU leaders can proclaim all that they want .... but the EU union is the weakest that I have seen since the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Unity being used as a suicide pact.

B.Poster said...

The only way to integrate Europe and to keep it integrated will be by force. The cultures are to different and the national interests are to divergent for any form of voluntary unity to work over the long haul. By signing such an agreement they are essentially guaranteeing war if they intend to enforce it.

The best way to ensure peace and prosperity for Europe is to break up the European Union. Each nation can then pursue national security, trade, and economic policies that best fit with their interests.

Ultimately the EU project is doomed to failure an death. The only question is will the breakup of the union be orderly or disorderly. Instead of pledging support for that which cannot be sustained these "leaders" need to be planning for an orderly breakup of the EU and taking steps to achieve this.

Minus Britain, it will soon be minus the other countries. Brexit is just the beginning. We will be seeing Frexit, Gexit, Grexit, Iesit, Spexit, and a whole spate of "exit" in the next few years. Oh well at least these "leaders" are unified even though they have no countries to lead and will be stripped of all authority.

Once the EU ends, Europe may be able to achieve security, peace, and prosperity. As long as the EU exists, these things are not going to be possible. The sooner it dies the better for Europe and the world.

James said...

Love the picture. You've got Hollande (boy am I glad I'm not in France right now), everybody with lapel pins except the guys on the left and one woman with a tricolor sash and very serious look on her face. Merklel and the woman behind her who look like leftovers from the 1976 East German Women's Olympic team. And finally back to Hollande who's wondering "what's that piece of paper I'm standing on? I told Francois I was in a meeting and wasn't taking messages!"

Unknown said...

Setting up the EU was partly an attempt to prevent world war. But this is out of man's hands. After the Great War they said, 'Never again', set up the League of Nations, and twenty years later we had it again. When will men realise that boasting in our own strength leads to disaster. Just like Hitler saying, 'With the sixth army I could storm the heavens'. Wrong audacious boast to make! And he was proved wrong not long after at Stalingrad.

When ever mankind boasts he is not long after proved wrong, you will see it every time. The reality is that man is utterly impotent to events.

Young Communist said...

Only a bunch of corrupted, useless bureaucrats, distant from reality.

They do not want to admit that the EU is on the same path to end like the USSR, in a capitalist version.

No, an end worse than the USSR faced.

Unknown said...

The only thing wrong with the EU is the people killing socialist taxes, the fucked in the head immigration policies, and the group think that gives things like AGW policies.

If you want to study climate visit the Grand canyon, there is a recently discovered layer there that proves a thesis about orbital mechanics.


Of course a Leftectual like YC will be among the last to find these things out, but what can you expect of a huffer.