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Commis.sion
of Europeon Communities
" THE UNITED STATES 15 ON THE DOWNWARD PATH
and it will be ex–
tremely difficult to save them from total collapse." So said President of the European
Community's Executive Commission, Sicco Ma nsholt of the Netherlands, on
February 9, 1972.
Mansholt further asse rted that only the strengthening of the Common Market would
enable it to come to grips with the modern world and its problems of over–
population, industrialization, and pollution. Mansholt added that, if a stronger Eu–
rope could not show the world some way out of the dilemma, the cause would be
lost since "the United States does not possess the necessary political strength to
guide the world toward the solution of this majar problem." The conclusion of the
outspoken Mansholt: "Europe has a mission to accomplish!"
previous volunrary European unions
in a scale ro a degree rhar amounrs ro
a d iiTercnce in kind."
Why is che EEC considered such a
hugc ach ievemenr? Mosr directl y be–
cause ir has induced the governmenrs
of six independenr narions ro each
give up a smal l degree of sovereigncy
- rhar is, a small amount of decision–
making power. N ations, li ke individ-
PLAIN TRUTH August 1972
uals, rend ro d urch very righrly ro
themselves wha rever vcs riges of
power tbey individually ho ld.
The six nacions have nor given up
rheir sovereigncy ro rhe EEC because
of a feeling of ourgoing concern for
rheir fellowmen. Rarhcr, ir's a qucs–
rion of rheir own interna! survival.
T he world is dominared by rwo su–
perpowers, rhe U. S. and che U.S.S.R.
Individually, rhc small Europeao na–
rions have lirrlc chance of being
heard. Collecrively, rhey become pare
of a g rearer whole, able ro make
rhemselves heard in a larger sounding
board and able ro be secure in che
comforc of being a member o f an in–
ternacional organizarion.
A nacion 's or a mulrinarion bloc's
influence is based on ics economic
screngch , on irs rare of cechnical
growch, and on che srimulus of a
la rge home marker. Bur ir also needs
a srrong central governmenr.
Formcr prcsident of rhe EEC Exec–
urive Commission, Jean Rey, ex–
plained it in an inrerview with rhis
wrirer. The grearesr difficulty che
Communicy faces roday is rhe facc
rhar ir does nor have a srrong central
govemmenr, and achieving ir seems
far in che furure.
Whar che narions of Europe wanr
are che bencfirs of being a single
union, whi le ar rhe same rime rerain–
ing rhe individual (and ofren narion–
alisric) freedom ro rule rhemselves as
rhey see fir. In orher words, rhey wanr
rhe fruirs of being a gianr economic
bloc, bur are nor yer willing ro merge
their narions inro one solid unir and
accept the group rcsponsibilicy thar
prosperiry and economic power bring.
Why N o Single Government
Y et Possible
A single governmen r over a Uni red
Srares of Europe is still roo much for
presenr-day European leaders ro ac–
cepr. As Presidenr Georges Pompidou
of Francc said in a news conference,
"T he problem lics in knowing on
whar bases, by whar merhods and in
whar forms we shall achieve chis gov–
ernmenr."
For Prcsidcn r Pompi do u , rhe
presenr EEC Commission srrucrure
cannor be rhe answer: "Such a gov–
ernmenr of Europe would arise nor
our of rhe Commission, bu t only our
of nacional governmenrs joining co–
gerher co make decisions thar were
valid for all."
In eiTecr, this is a reireracion of che
(Contin11ed
011
page 27)
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