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FRENCH-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
OF GREATER CINCINNATI

France and Europe:

Joe Dehner met President d’Estaing in late October at the Brussels meeting of the American Bar Association’s International Law Section.

Valéry Giscard d’Estaing spoke to a group of American lawyers in Brussels in late October about the European Constitution. As Chairman of Europe’s constitutional convention, former President d’Estaing’s role is like that of James Madison and other founding fathers of the United States. It was a privilege to meet him and listen to what the Constitution will mean for France, Europe and the rest of the world.

The most important political global development in this century’s first decade is not terrorism or global warming or China’s rise, but the emergence of Europe as a nation. Combining 15 members of the EU and 10 new eastern participants, Europe’s population of 450 million people will become a preeminent force. Europe’s evolution to a political union has been occurring for almost 50 years through a patchwork of treaties and agreements. The draft European Constitution heralds the emergence of Europe as a country. It will have an elected President with a 3-year term, an elected parliament (with weighted majority voting) and a range of institutions associated with nationhood.

This has profound consequences for France and for the United States. It will diminish but not extinguish the unique role of France as a nation. It will mean the surrender of sovereignty over major functions, while retaining the political clout of member states and the power of states in specified areas of competence. In some ways, Europe will be more unified than the United States, because the powers given to Europe by member states, particularly in the economic field, are greater than the powers reserved to US states.

If adopted and successful, the European Constitution may show the way towards a multi-cultural, multi-lingual political organization the world has not seen since days of empire. Unlike empire, united Europe emerges as an act of popular will.

Americans should comprehend the enormity of what is occurring in Europe. Europe will be a more formidable economic competitor, challenge our own notions of federalism and create over time a counterbalance to American geopolitical power and influence. For France as well, the change will be substantial. Membership in a larger union will challenge ancient traditions and offer new opportunities for creating a richer, better life for its citizens, without fear of continental war.