Innsbruck, May 12, 1984
The Vision of a United Europe
On its recent party congress in Stuttgart, the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) conjured up again the vision of a united Europe. According to this vision, the European Community (EC) should be transformed into a federal state. It should be a Europe without borders, while a European passport should make it possible for its citizens to travel without controls. The large European transit routes - highways and railroad systems - that connect North and South, East and West should be planned and financed together. All tariffs and customs duties should be abolished. Like the EC, the “United States of Europe” could at first consist of 8-10 members. What a grandiose vision! But it always eludes realization. For the time being, the loosely connected Europe of fatherlands seems to be much closer to home than a common federal state.