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Freddy THIELEMANSBourgmestre de la Ville de Bruxelles / Burgemeester van de stad BrusselAncien Membre du Parlement Européen / Gewezen lid van het Europees Parlement

Chers amis,

C’est un début de mois de mai qui s’annonce particulièrement festif pour tousles amis et amies de l’Europe et de Bruxelles, avec une Fête du Travail qui lais-sera une place toute chaude à l’édition 2012 de la fête de l’Europe.

Trois jours de réjouissances, c’est un minimum pour une Europe à 27, mais unminimum qui me rend particulièrement heureux. En effet, cette année l’Hôtelde Ville accueillera en ses murs une partie des festivités, tantôt académiques,

tantôt culturelles. Gageons que la fête de l’Europe se déroule, cette année encore, dans un esprit d’ouvertureet de convivialité, au même titre que les fructueux échanges que l’Europe et notre Ville entretiennent.

Bienvenue en ce lieu d’histoire et de souvenirs et bonne fête à l’Europe d’aujourd’hui et de demain !

Bien cordialement

Beste vrienden,

Het begin van mei kondigt zich bijzonder feestelijk aan voor alle vrienden en vriendinnen van Europa envan Brussel, met het feest van de Arbeid die een erg warme plaats aan de uitgave 2012 van het feest vanEuropa zal nalaten.

Drie dagen vrolijkheid, is het een minimum voor het Europa van de 27, doch een minimum dat me bijzondergelukkig maakt. Dit jaar zal immers het Stadhuis binnen zijn muren een deel van de festiviteiten, somsacademisch, soms cultureel, ontvangen. Laten we hopen dat het feest van Europa, dit jaar nog, in eengeest van openheid en gastvrijheid verloopt, evenals de vruchtbare uitwisseling die Europa en onze Stadmet elkaar onderhouden.

Welkom in deze historische plaats vol van herinneringen. Europa van vandaag en morgen: ik wens u eenprettig feest!

Hartelijke groeten

COVER-02 30/04/12 13:48 Page1

Maria Elena Boila started studying music at the age of 6 at the Sigismund Toduta High School of Music in her native townof Cluj-Napoca (Romania). At a very early stage, she received numerous musical distinctions: three First Prizes in the National Olympiads of Music, FirstPrize in the International Brazov Contest, and Special Prize in the 1996 edition of the “Youth Music” International Competitionin Bucharest. When she was 18, Maria Elena began studying at the National University of Music in Bucharest with renownedMaestro Stefan Gheorghiu. At the same period, she attends Pr. Igor Ozim’s Masterclass at the Conservatory of Bern. In 1998,she was awarded the Sàndor Végh Prize from the Mozart Romanian Society. The following year, she ranks #1 in the Inter-Re-gional Contests in both Dijon (Violin) and Troyes (Chamber Music). Between 2001 and 2003, Maria Elena chooses the Düs-seldorf Hochschule für Musik to perfect her already stellar musical skills. She also starts a collaboration as soloist with theLuxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra.

Since 2004, Maria Elena Boila has been a permanent member of the Belgian National Orchestra as tutti First Violin. She hasalso been performing on a regular basis as First Violin in the Aura Anima Quartet, which she founded recently.

ADAGIO TO EUROPE (extract for Violin and Piano)Music by Didier Van Damme

CZARDASMusic by Vittorio Monty

Maria Elena Boilais accompanied by Didier Van Damme

DONNER UNE ÂME À L’EUROPE I1

FETE DE L'EUROPEFEEST VAN EUROPA

Sous le Haut patronage et en présence de SAR la Princesse Alexandre de BelgiqueOnder de Hoge bescherming en in aanwezigheid van Haar Koninklijke Hoogheid Prinses Alexander van BelgIë

Allocution de bienvenue de Monsieur Freddy Thielemans, Bourgmestre de la Ville de BruxellesWelkom Toespraak van de Heer Freddy Thielemans, Burgemeester van de Stad Brussel

HE. Poul Skytte ChristoffersenAmbassador of Denmak

(Danish Presidency of the European Union)

Dhr. Hugo Haazen, Secretaris-generaal van de commissie Geef ziel aan Europa

Monsieur Patrick HuartPrésident de la commission "Donnez l'Ame à l'Europe"

Directeur exécutif de GST EUROPEConseiller diplomatique de l'Ordre de Saint Gabriel

Réception / Receptie

Programme musical / musicale programma

Maria Elena BoilaFirst Violin, National Orchestra of Belgium

Europe-01 3/05/12 09:15 Page1

Contribution by President Schulz

Contribution by President Schulz for the event organised by Give a Soul to Europe on the occasion of Europe’s Day

Never have the initiatives of Give a Soul To Europe been as needed as in this difficult period. In these times of economicdoom, of rising nationalist and eurosceptic rhetoric, GST Europe reminds us of the incommensurable political and culturalvalue of the European project.

GST Europe has accompanied the EU in its integration path for several years now. It has helped us to remember and celebrateour recent history, and it has remained a faithful partner fostering the support for our Union in a creative way.

This year Europe’s Day takes place amid anxieties which have lasted for too long because of the lack of decisive politicalaction. Some of our most far-reaching and ambitious achievements, such as the free movement of people or the Europeansingle currency, are now vehemently attacked.

The voices which support Europe are too often complacent with a rising critical rhetoric which depicts the EU as a bureaucraticproject not grounded in the needs of the people. The anti-European tide is strong and growing.

We must not give-in to the critics, but we should not avoid confrontation and we should not neglect the shortcomings of thecurrent architecture either. For example, despite the considerable changes made to rebalance the structure of the Economicand Monetary Union, 20 years after the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, the asymmetry between the monetary pillar andthe economic one is still evident. It is clear that to fix this structure, the European Commission needs to be given powers thatgo beyond mere monitoring and sanctioning. We have to come back to the méthode communautaire - finding the properbalance of interest in common European institutions instead of using confrontation in the European Council.

It is also clear that our exit-strategy has been focusing too much on austerity and not enough has been done for growth. Ihear time and again the legitimate concerns of our citizens who wonder when will the budget cuts end and when willgrowth return. They want to see Europe doing more, not less. But they also want a Europe which concentrates in preservingand possibly augmenting our social rights, even if this requires radical change.

The EU has provided for a 60 year period of peace. Europe is a gift: the real crisis today is that so many on our continentdo not appreciate that gift anymore. Europe Day must remain a day of celebration for our achievements, but it must alsoserve as a stimulus to thinking how we can actively contribute to the advancement of the future of our project. I thankGST Europe for taking part in fostering our shared European awareness and for its indefatigable support in this endea-vour.

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PARLAMENTUM EUROPAEUM

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President van Rompuy meetsCrown Prince & Princess of Danmark Give Soul to Europe – Message from the President

In a world of flux and volatility, stable political institutions can bring certainty and continuity and help us shape our destiny.The Union’s institutions are quite young, much younger than parliaments, councils and courts in many Member States. Butthey share the same aspiration: channeling chance, absorbing shocks, setting out new directions.

Since the Lisbon Treaty, the European Council is a formal EU institution. As the President of the European Council, I have pro-moted a spirit of cooperation, to move forward as a Union in full respect of each Member State. Our aim has been to establishthe right balance between collective solidarity and individual responsibility in safeguarding the common European good, beit the single currency, the internal market or common border. And in tackling current challenges, in Europe and the globalizedworld.

Preserving stability in the eurozone has been a key priority over the past 2 years. The public debt crisis, which began as afurther chapter in the global financial and economic crisis of 2008-2009, has hit us hard. Dealing with the sovereign debtcrisis has been the most serious test that the European Union has faced since long. We have decided upon very importantmeasures to deal with the immediate crisis. We have also resolutely agreed upon more economic coordination, which makesus stronger to avoid future crises.

The challenge is now to restore economic growth, competitiveness and jobs. We need to regain confidence of consumersand businesses and we need to focus on growth-enhancing measures in the fields of innovation, energy, education. Earlierthis year, the Heads of State and Government agreed to primarily focus on tackling unemployment, in particular for youngpeople and to boost the Single Market, our unique internal market with 500 million consumers. Courageous measures beingtaken everywhere now in Europe, will pave the way towards restored growth.

The European growth objective is not an end in itself. It is about maintaining and improving our way of life. It is about safe-guarding the unique European social model and sharing growth with those that need it the most. Solidarity is a key featureof our European societies. Societies with a soul !

Herman Van Rompuy

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CONSILIUM

CONSEILEUROPÉEN

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MESSAGE OF MR VASSILIOS SKOURISPRESIDENT OF THE COURT OF JUSTICE

The Court is pleased to support “Give a soul to Europe” and on behalf of myself and my colleagues at the Court of Justice, Iwould like to extend our best wishes. Your efforts in celebrating the European project, and in particular its founding treaties,remind us of the importance of the law in shaping the Union. It is these treaties which determine the fundamental natureof this unique organisation; that of a Union founded on the rule of law. And it is the application, interpretation and enforcementof these treaties which still form the most significant part of the work of the Court of Justice.

For the Courts of the European Union, 2011 was above all a year marked by particularly intense judicial activity. With 1569new cases and 1518 cases completed, the Court of Justice of the European Union is seeing a significant increase in the numberof actions brought before and disposed of by its three judicial organs.

The institution can only be gladdened by this trend which indicates the confidence of national courts and of litigants in theCourts of the European Union. Nevertheless, this increase in the caseload demands a degree of vigilance on the part of boththe Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Union’s legislative authorities in order that the effectiveness ofthe European Union’s judicial system is not jeopardised and that European citizens continue to be served to the highest stan-dards.

With this in mind, the Court of Justice proposed in the past year a series of amendments to its Statute and a completerecasting of its Rules of Procedure, seeking, first, to improve its efficiency and productivity and those of the General Courtand, second, to modernise its procedures.

In 2011, three large-scale information technology projects, intended principally to bring the Court closer to the public, werealso seen through to a successful conclusion. The opening of the e-Curia system which enables procedural documents to belodged and served electronically, the launch of a new, more effective, search engine for consulting case-law and the puttingon line of the catalogue of the Court’s library are designed to make the Court of Justice more accessible and more transpa-rent.

It is through constant improvements such as these that the Court strives to ensure that the day-to-day work of the Court,which is of fundamental importance to the functioning of the Union, to the work of businesses and the lives of citizens acrossEurope, is carried out in the most efficient and appropriate manner and that the European Union continues to be a communityof States founded on the rule of law.

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Europe-04 02/05/12 15:30 Page4

The Court of Justice of the European Union

The Court of Justice of the European Union is the Union’s judicial institution, based in Luxembourg. It comprises three courts:The Court of Justice, the General Court and the Civil Service Tribunal, whose essential tasks are to examine the legality of EUacts and ensure the uniform interpretation and application of EU law.

The Court of Justice is composed of 27 Judges (one per Member State) and 8 Advocates General. They are appointed bycommon accord of the governments of the Member States for a renewable term of six years.

The Court of Justice has jurisdiction to hear:• References for preliminary rulings from national courts. A national court which is faced with a question of EU

law to which the answer is not evident, may refer questions to the Court of Justice for a preliminary ruling. Thesequestions concern the interpretation of the Treaties and the interpretation and validity of acts adopted by the Eu-ropean Institutions.

• Actions on the failure of a Member State to fulfil its obligations under the Treaties. These cases can be broughtby the Commission or another Member State. If the Court rules against the Member State, that country must com-ply with the Court’s ruling. Failure to comply can lead to a second court case where the Court has the possibilityto fine the Member State. Following the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, there is now also the possibilityfor a Member State to be fined immediately in the first judgment if the failure in question is a failure to transposea directive in the required time frame.

• Actions for annulment and declaration of failure to act. Institutions or Member States may bring an action re-questing the annulment of an act of the Parliament and/or Council (with the exception of some Council acts dealtwith by the General Court) or a declaration that an Institution has failed to take action following a request to doso.

• Appeals against decisions of the General Court.

The General Court is composed of 27 Judges, appointed in the same manner as for the Court of Justice. The General Courthas no Advocates General.

The General Court has jurisdiction to hear:• Actions for annulment and declaration of failure to act brought by natural or legal persons against acts of the

EU’s institutions.• Actions brought by the member States against the Commission and certain acts of the Council (notably in the

field of State aid and anti-dumping)• Actions for damages for loss caused by the Union.• Actions relating to the Community Trade Mark

The Civil Service Tribunal of the European Union is composed of seven judges, appointed for a renewable six-year term bythe Council. This Tribunal hears disputes between the institutions of the European Union and their employees.

DONNER UNE ÂME À L’EUROPE I5

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Message of the President ofthe European Court of Auditors,

Mr Vítor Manuel da Silva Caldeira

The European Court of Auditors (ECA) is the European Union (EU) Institution established by the Treaty to carry out the auditof the EU finances. As the EU external auditor the ECA contributes to improving EU financial management and is recognisedas the independent guardian of the financial interests of European citizens and taxpayers.

Promoting accountability and transparency are of key importance in a moment when some of the main achievements of Eu-ropean integration, such as the Euro, are being challenged. The EU is facing major policy challenges resulting from globaltrends and events at a time when there is weak economic growth in the EU and financial instability. The EU has also beenundergoing a period of transformation which has seen the Lisbon Treaty, the Europe 2020 strategy and measures to improveEU economic governance.

In response to the ongoing financial and economic crisis, the ECA issued a position paper in 2011 on the consequences forpublic accountability and public audit in the EU and the role of the ECA. The Court considers that new measures implementedin response to the crisis should respect the principle that where public funds are at stake there should be adequate arrange-ments for transparency, public accountability, and public audit. The Contact Committee - an assembly of the Heads of theSupreme Audit Institutions of the EU Member States and of the ECA – met in Luxembourg in October 2011, where it adopteda statement on developments in EU economic governance, stressing that transparency, accountability and adequate publicaudit should be respected when public funds are at stake. A resolution calling for the external public audit of the ESM (Eu-ropean Stability Mechanism) was also adopted.

According to its mandate, which was reaffirmed by the Lisbon Treaty, the European Court of Auditors assesses the collectionand spending of EU funds. It examines whether financial operations have been properly re corded and disclosed, legally andregularly executed and managed so as to ensure economy, efficiency and effectiveness. The ECA assists the European Par-liament and Council in overseeing the implementation of the EU budget, particularly during the discharge procedure, andbrings added value to EU financial management through its reports and opinions. The legislative authorities – European Par-liament and Council – use the ECA’s opinions in their work. Opinions are also prepared on other issues at the request ofanother EU institution or on the ECA’s own initiative.

The ECA began 2011 by publishing its opinion based on the Commission’s proposal to revise the Financial Regulation applicableto the general budget of the European Union, which included a series of recommendations for making EU budget managementmore effective. It further detailed its recommendations in its opinion on the Regulation of the European Parliament and ofthe Council laying down common provisions on cohesion spending which could represent up to 45 % of total EU expenditurefor the 2014-20 period. Further opinions on the proposals are under consideration regarding the new Own Resources andAgricultural Policy.

In this changing global context, there is the need for audit institutions to give increased priority to using their mandates togo beyond traditional financial/compliance audit in order to make a difference to citizens’ lives by contributing to trust, effi-ciency and effectiveness. Our community of audit institutions has also emphasised the importance of co-operating to developa comprehensive set of professional standards and encourages individual audit institutions to strive to be recognised as modelpublic sector institutions in their jurisdictions.

In matters of accountability, trust and openness are essential. That is why the ECA has articulated a clear set of values, so thatour stakeholders know that we are committed to: the independence, integrity and impartiality of our institution; the profes-sionalism of our work; adding value through that work; and the excellence and efficiency of our people and organisation.

These are the values on which we have built our reputation over many years as well as the trust of the European citizensand the excellent co-operation with the other Institutions of the Union and the Supreme Audit Institutions of the MemberStates.

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Europe-06 02/05/12 15:31 Page6

THE EUROPEAN COURT OF AUDITORS, LUXEMBOURG

Europe-07 30/04/12 13:56 Page7

Mercedes BressoPresident of the Committee

of the Regions

«Donnez Une Ame à l’Europe»

Avant-propos

Aujourd’hui, comme au début des années 30, l’Europe est plongée dans la crise. L’étymologie grecque de ce mot «krisis»nous apprend qu’il désigne le jugement, mais également la faculté de discernement.

Entendue de cette manière, la crise nous invite à examiner à nouveau notre rapport au monde, dans ses dimensions politique,sociale et économique. Puisqu’aujourd’hui la crise est pour ainsi dire omniprésente, nous devons discerner entre les politiques,celles qui permettent d’échapper au cercle vicieux du chômage et de la stagnation. Ces politiques doivent nous permettrede parvenir à une croissance durable, respectueuse de l’environnement et de la dignité humaine, des citoyens, leur travailet leur famille, mais également de la société au sens plus large, que ce soit à l’échelon local ou régional.

La crise nous oblige aussi à retrouver le sens original du projet européen, où la solidarité et la responsabilité entre les Etatsmembres s’exercent de manière équilibrée, en veillant à ne pas y trouver prétexte pour réinstaurer de nouvelles barrièresentre nous et avec nos voisins, à l’Est comme au Sud.

Toutefois, ne nous cachons pas l’évidence: les coupes budgétaires pratiquées dans l’urgence depuis deux ans risquent demettre à mal la cohésion sociale dans un contexte économique de rechute. Elles menacent la garantie d’accès pour tous auxservices publics, avec des conséquences dramatiques pour les personnes âgées et les habitants des régions les plus excen-trées. Dans certains pays, comme la Grèce, l’Espagne, mais également en Italie ou en Slovaquie, le chômage des jeunesatteint des records. En fin de compte, la compétitivité même de nos entreprises pourrait en être durablement affectée.

L’Union européenne, ainsi que les collectivités locales et régionales, sont conscientes des menaces latentes que représententles inégalités sociales, une faible croissance économique et l’instabilité politique. Afin que l’Europe ne puisse pas perdre sonâme, nous poursuivons un objectif commun, celui d’une politique régionale renouvelée inscrite dans ce que l’on appelle leCadre stratégique commun qui englobe toutes les politiques de développement territorial, afin d’engendrer des effets desynergies en soutenant l’inclusion sociale, des infrastructures modernes, des technologies innovantes, la gestion des espacesnaturels et une moindre consommation énergétique. Nous sommes donc particulièrement soucieux que cette politique soitdotée de moyens financiers suffisants et pérennes.

Je suis convaincue que les activités et les initiatives que nous avons menées jusqu’à présent montrent comment il est possiblede renouveler le sens et le contenu du projet européen. La crise actuelle a confirmé que l’Europe doit demeurer un acteurpuissant sur la scène internationale, en mesure de promouvoir des politiques inventives et capable à l’avenir aussi de concilierson modèle social avec la croissance économique et la défense de l’environnement.

Plus précisément, l’avenir de l’Europe passe par celle de sa population la plus jeune: il ne peut être question de laisser ceuxqui ont moins de 30 ans devenir une nouvelle génération perdue qui se sentirait exclue et marginalisée dans la société. Lescollectivités locales et régionales ont un rôle irremplaçable à jouer pour s’en assurer.

Mercedes Bresso, Présidente du Comité des Régions de l’Union européenne

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Europe-08 3/05/12 09:10 Page8

THE COMMITTEEOF THE REGIONS

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Europe-09 30/04/12 14:00 Page9

MR. STAFFAN NILSSON PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC

AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE

Go sustainable, be responsible! European civil society on the road to Rio+20We may need short-term decisions to overcome the crisis, but we want our leaders to maintain a long-term perspective of sustai-nability. This means that, in meeting our everyday needs, we don’t restrict the ability of future generations to meet their needs.According to the WWF, since 2005 our pace of life has consumed 30% more of the planet’s resources than it actually has to offer.We are already falling behind, it is becoming urgent, and yet we do not fully appreciate what living in a finite world actually means.

It is this reality that the governments present in Rio must take on when they meet in June at the Global Sustainable DevelopmentSummit, Rio+20. The challenge will be twofold: to agree on binding principles that ensure the greening of the economy while era-dicating poverty, and to create an institutional global framework for sustainable development. We need to build a different world,as it is cheaper to prevent than to repair. It is a make-or-break moment for putting our economies on a sustainable footing. In Rio,the United Nations must work together to build a new economic order.

«Greening» our economy involves a rethink of consumption and production practices. It is about the way we work, consume anddo business. It is the everyday decisions and actions of civil society actors that will transform our economies and lifestyles intomore sustainable ones. We call on political leaders to commit, in Rio, to a green economy roadmap with clear goals and monitoringmechanisms ensuring an economically efficient, socially just and environmentally sound transition to a green economy. We stressthat the transition process must be accompanied by continuous dialogue with civil society, in particular social dialogue.

In concrete terms, we can bring about sustainable consumption and production by using a broad range of policy instruments, in-cluding regulatory measures, fiscal policy tools, green public procurement, research into eco-innovation and market-based incentives.When taking measures to tackle the crisis, we must separate growth from environmental damage. This is a challenge where theEU can and must make a contribution. I am personally convinced that the EU can position itself as a leader in such multilateral ne-gotiations, thanks to the experience, skills, technologies and resources that it has at its disposal.

We believe that greening the economy is an opportunity for business. Sustainability is not just a passing trend; it’s a new businessmodel with long-term strategic gains for companies. This new model goes far beyond corporate responsibility because it influencesthe whole approach to business, all along the value chain. We call on political leaders to design clear, stable and predictable greeneconomy policy frameworks to give business the confidence to make the necessary investments. It would not only give Europefirst-mover advantage, but also create new knowledge-intensive jobs.

At the same time, the social dimension must be further incorporated, so that the transition to a sustainable economy is accompaniedby growth which eliminates poverty and social injustice. To this end, we call on political leaders to renew their commitment to meetingthe Millennium Development Goals and to adopt additional measures backed up with the necessary funding. We call on developedcountries in particular to implement their commitment to allocate 0.7% of their gross national income to development aid.

I’m happy to see that the ‘zero draft’ forming the basis of the Rio+20 final agreement recognises the limitations of GDP as ameasure of well-being. Of course, proposals for alternative indicators are subject to widespread public dialogue. To this end, werecommend the setting up of a Council for Sustainable Development (replacing the old commission) and a United Nations Environ-ment Agency, while supporting the proposal already on the table for an ombudsman for future generations.

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Engaging people for a sustainable Europe is at the centre of my work programme as President of the EESC, and therefore preparationsfor the Rio+20 summit rank high on our political agenda. At European level, we have held several hearings and organised a majorconference bringing together a broad range of stakeholders in order to hear the voices of European civil society in the run-up tothe UN summit. Thus the EESC could articulate European civil society’s input to the EU’s position at Rio+20. At international level,we are discussing Rio-related topics with our counterparts in various parts of the world including Brazil, China, Russia, India, SouthAfrica (BRICS) and the ACP region.

It is true that the Rio+20 global summit willnot solve the world’s problems overnight. Ho-wever, it can mobilise will, gather and givenew momentum to sustainable develop-ment, and drive change. Action must conti-nue so that sustainability is systematicallyand consistently incorporated into our policiesand our behaviour. Let’s imagine each one ofus doing something small but significant forthe environment around us. Let’s imagine theaccumulation of all these gestures by sevenbillion people. If we can do that, I’m sure wecan make our planet Earth viable for futuregenerations.

Staffan NilssonPresident, European Economic and Social

Committee

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Michel Barnier, Membre de la Commission euro-péenne chargé du Marché intérieur et des services etNicole Puel, déléguée de « Donnez l’Ame à l’Europe »à Strasbourg.

En cette année 2012, «Donnez une âme à l’Europe» a choisid’axer ses actions sur le vingtième anniversaire du Traité deMaastricht, qui a marqué une nouvelle étape de l’intégrationeuropéenne.

En l’espace de vingt ans, tous les acquis de Maastrichtont été consolidés. L’euro, qui circule depuis le 1er janvier1999, s’est rapidement imposé comme une monnaie de ré-férence au plan international. Il est utilisé chaque jour pardes millions de consommateurs et d’entreprises. Il est et ilrestera l’un des principaux atouts de l’Europe.

La crise actuelle n’est pas née de l’euro. Elle trouve sa source dans le niveau des dettes souveraines, alourdies par des annéesde déficits et par les plans de relance qui étaient nécessaires pour atténuer les conséquences de la crise financière démarrée auxEtats-Unis en 2007-2008.

Cette crise n’en est pas moins grave. Elle justifie tous les efforts que nous menons pour stabiliser l’économie, réguler le secteurfinancier, mais aussi pour doter enfin l’Europe des mécanismes de coordination économique et budgétaire qui auraient dûaccompagner la création de l’euro. En somme, nous sommes en train d’apporter la pierre qui manquait à l’édifice de Maastricht.

Mais 2012 marque aussi un autre anniversaire : celui du marché unique. Voilà en effet vingt ans qu’il est possible d’aller, venir,échanger, proposer ses services ou son travail librement dans notre grand marché, désormais riche de 500 millions de citoyens et22 millions d’entreprises.

Notre grand marché n’est pas parfait. Il reste de nombreux obstacles à lever. C’est l’objet de l’Acte pour le marché unique, quej’ai proposé en avril 2011 avec une dizaine de mes collègues. Le brevet unique européen, la meilleure reconnaissance desqualifications professionnelles, le passeport européen pour les fonds de capital-risque et pour les fonds d’entrepreneuriat social :tous ces exemples concrets ont le potentiel d’encourager l’innovation, la mobilité, le financement des PME et de l’économie socialeet de nous apporter les points de croissance qui nous manquent.

A travers les événements prévus pour 2012, l’votre association contribue à faire connaître les grandes réalisations d’une Europeunie mais pas uniforme. A l’heure où de nombreux citoyens doutent ou se désintéressent, il est plus que jamais nécessaire dereconnecter les 27 débats nationaux avec le débat européen. C’est ce que nous tenterons de faire à travers la «SingleMarket Week» organisée dans toute l’Europe la semaine du 15 octobre 2012. Et je sais pouvoir compter sur l’engagementde « Donnez l’Ame à l’Europe » votre association afin de faire vivre ce premier débat citoyen sur le marché unique.

12 IDONNER UNE ÂME À L’EUROPE

MESSAGE DE MONSIEUR MICHEL BARNIER,MEMBRE DE LA COMMISSION

EUROPEENNE

Europe-12 02/05/12 15:34 Page12

EventsEuropean Parliament Open Doors, European Concert, New Year reception

Belgium National Holliday lunch

Charlemagne Orchestra for Europe concert,Esther Yoo et Bartholomeus van de Velde.

Open Doors day

Pierre Vimont, Secretary-General of the EEAS, andDidier Van Damme, Honorary Adviser and

composer of the 'Adagio to Europe'

European Day, Brussels City Hall, 2011, 9th may

Christmas dinner: Mr. Huart, Lord Cavendisch, HRH Princess Alexander of Belgium, Mr. Walkenier

& Mr. Haazen

Europa Feest: GST stand (Open Door’ day).

Mr. Herman vanRompuy,president of theEuropean Unionand Mr. HugoHaazen, generalsecretary GSTeurope

Europe-13 02/05/12 15:23 Page13

Depuis plus de dix ans, nous avons mis en valeur le Traité de Rome et, au lendemain de son jubilé,la Journée de l’Europe.

Depuis 2011, l’Hôtel de Ville de Bruxelles accueille le 9 mai une séance académique pour sensibili-ser la société civile, les étudiants et les autorités sur le cheminement citoyen de l’Europe. Notrepatrimoine musical est aussi mis à l’honneur par un concert donné dans ce cadre. Cette année,nous avons accueilli le Charlemagne Orchestra for Europe. Enfin, nous participons à l’invitation duParlement la «JPO», journée «Portes Ouvertes» qui, chaque année, rencontre un grand succès defoule.

Sinds meer dan tien jaar hebben wij het Verdrag van Rome en sinds zijn jubileum de dag van Europa in het middelpuntvan de belangstelling geplaatst.

Sinds 2011, zijn we op 9 mei te gast voor een academische zitting op het stadhuis van Brussel om de bevolking, studen-ten en autoriteiten op de weg van de Europese vooruitgang te plaatsen. Onze muzikale rijkdom is telkens tot uiting geko-men door het houden van een concert in dat teken. Dit jaar was het Charlemagne orchestra for Europe onze gast. Tot slotgaan wij telkens graag in op de uitnodiging van het parlement om deel te nemen aan de open deur dag welke elk jaareen massa bezoekers mag verwelkomen.

Seit mehr als zehn Jahren gilt unser Einsatz der Bedeutung des Vertrages von Rom wie auch nach der Feier seines Jubi-läums dem Europatag.

Seit 2011 findet im Rathaus der Stadt Brüssel am 9. Mai eine feierliche Veranstaltung statt, um das Verständnis der bürger-lichen Gesellschaft, der Studenten und der Autoritäten für die bürgerlichte Entwicklung Europas zu sensibilisieren. Zudemwird unser musikalische Erbe durch ein in diesem Rahmen stattfindendes Konzert geehrt. Dieses Jahr haben wir das Char-lemagne Orchestra for Europe empfangen. Ausserdem nehmen wir an der Einladung des Parlements zum Tag der OffenenTür teil, der jedes Jahr grossen Anklang beim Publikum findet.

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Donnez l’Ame à l’EuropeGeef Ziel aan EuropaGive Soul to EuropeEuropa Seele gebenDar Alma a Europa

Dare anima all’ Europa

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For more than ten years we have been promoting the Treaty of Rome and Eu-rope day, following this anniversary.

Since 2011 a celebration has been held at the Town Hall of Brussels on 9th Mayto create awareness among the civil society, the students and the authorities, ofthe citizen’s progression towards Europe. Our musical heritage is also celebratedwith a concert given by the Charlemagne Orchestra for Europe. In addition, at the invitation of the Parliament, we partici-pate in the Open Day which proves each year to be a great success, attracting many people.

Desde hace más de diez años hemos puesto en valor el Tratado de Roma y al día siguiente de su jubileo, la jornada de Eu-ropa.

El Ayuntamiento de Bruselas desde el año 2011, celebra una sesión académica con el fin de sensibilizar a la sociedad civil,a los estudiantes y a las autoridades sobre el trayecto ciudadano de Europa. Nuestro patrimonio musical también se poneal honor con un concierto dado en ese marco, acogiendo este año la «Charlemagne Orchestra for Europa». Y por ultimo,participamos à la invitacición del Parlamento de la JPO «Jornada Puertas Abiertas», que cada año tiene un exito rotundo departicipación.

Da oltre dieci anni abbiamo messo in evidenza il Trattato di Roma ed, all’indomani del suo Giubileo, la Giornata dell’Eu-ropa.Dal 2011, il comune di Bruxelles ospita il 9 maggio una sessione accademica per sensibilizzare la società civile, gli studentie le autorità sul percorso della Nostra Europa. Il nostro patrimonio musicale è anche onorato in questa particolare cornice diun grande concerto.

Quest’anno, riceviamo l’Orchestra Carla Magno per l’Europa. Infine, partecipiamo, come ogni anno e su invito del Parla-mento Europeo, alla giornata «Porte Aperte», dove registriamo una grande affluenza ed interesse.

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PATRICK HUARTPRESIDENT OF THE COMMISSION«GIVE SOUL TO EUROPE»

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ADAGIO TO EUROPE

A work celebrating the European UnionIt is said that few words suffice to describe the shining symbolism of the ADAGIO TO EUROPE ...

The listener is gently borne away with emotion, at the same time experiencing ineffable joy in awareness of what we havebecome today: members of one large family...

Born from the universal language of instrumental music, the Adagio is dedicated to all the peoples of Europe. It is also acelebration of its languages, whose words of love, brotherhood and friendship it interprets with sensitivity.

Composed in 1970, by Didier Van Damme, thirteen years after the signing of the Treaty of Rome, establishing the EuropeanEconomic Community (EEC) and two years before the accession treaty, signed in The Hague, opening the second phase inthe construction of Europe, the ADAGIO TO EUROPE bears a powerful message of hope, peace and involvement in thecoming together of peoples, as exemplified in the ever-increasing momentum of the construction of Europe.

Over the years, the ADAGIO TO EUROPE has become the ‘musical visiting card’ of the moving and passionate collective en-terprise towards a bright and compassionate future.

In 2004, ten new countries joined the European Union. On this occasion, the following words were added to the openingnotes of the Adagio to Europe by Didier Van Damme’s grandson, David Lasserre, preparing the listener for the inspirationwhich animates the work from start to finish :

Europe we owe you peace and strengthAs both your fathers and your proud childrenFrom sorrows has come glorious destinyWithin you ... lies LibertyMay you remain an exampleOf friendship and hope for the people of the world

(David Lasserre)

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Personne n’est à l’abri d’un accident entraînant la perte totale de son véhicule. C’est pourquoi Ethias lance la Mini Omnium Plus.La nouvelle formule omnium qui couvre aussi, en cas de perte totale, les voitures qui ne sont pas neuves.

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Europe-17 30/04/12 14:25 Page17

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G4S - VIP&Diplomatic Security Services.

AWARD CEREMONY GIVE SOUL TO EUROPE

City Hall of Brussels

In memoriam President Vaclav Havel (Award 2000)

With de Support of thewww.unionsyndicale.eu

DONNER UNE ÂME À L’EUROPE I19

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ROYAUME DE BELGIQUEAffaires étrangères,Commerce extérieur etCoopération au Développement

La fête de l’Europe est un moment important dans le rapprochement entre l’Union et ses citoyens. Cet ob-jectif, qui est le mien, doit sans cesse être travaillé afin de rappeler que la construction européenne est unbien pour les peuples. J’en profite d’ailleurs pour saluer le travail de GST Europe dont la noble mission estla mise en valeur de l’Union européenne.

Dans le cadre de cette journée de l’Europe, j’ai souhaité ce 9 mai aller à la rencontre d’élèves pour expliquerce qu’est l’Europe et les enjeux actuels et futurs.

En effet, l’Union est à un tournant de son histoire et le choix qui s’offre à nous est clair : soit une désunion,soit un renforcement de l’intégration pour plus d’efficacité, de protection et de bien être.

Cet enjeu se traduit dans de nombreux dossiers, comme les défis budgétaires, la régulation de la finance,la solidarité entre les Etats, la mise sur pied d’une gouvernance politique efficace et réactive, un accrois-sement de la protection de nos concitoyens et bien d’autres encore.

La Belgique se veut en pointe dans la construction européenne. Ainsi, Pays fondateur, elle a toujours étéun précurseur, moteur et continue à l’être. Par exemple, c’est encore le cas, lorsque notre Pays s’engageavec des propositions concrètes dans le développement d’un cadre ambitieux au niveau européen pouraccroître la croissance et l'innovation.

Soyez certain que le projet européen est plus que jamais au cœur de mes priorités.

Bonne fête de l’Europe, bonne fête aux Européens !

Didier REYNDERS.

M. Didier Reynders et M. Jean-Paul Valkenier, président délégué de GST Europe

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Organization

Commission Give Soul to EuropePresident : Mr. Patrick Huart

Diplomatic Advisor of the « Ordre de Saint-Gabriel »Executive director of « GST EUROPE asbl-vzw »

Secretary : Ms. Andreea Sidei

European Parliament, European Council, European Commission, Court of Justice, Court of Auditors, Committee of the Regions’s& European Economic and Social Committee.

GST EUROPENpo (no profit organization) accredited to the European Parliament & the Brussels Capital Regions.Patron : HRH Princess Alexander of BelgiumChairman: M. Jean-Paul ValkenierSecretary general : Dhr. Hugo HaazenExecutive director : M. Patrick HuartMembers of the Board : Ms Nicole Andrien, Mr.Pierre Bodeux, Mr.François Crucifix, Ms Claude Dubus, Ms. Moussia Haulot.Advisors : M. Didier Van Damme, Dott.Bruno Dotta, Dott. Edoardo Romano, Dr.Roland Rolker, Sra Maria-Nieves Calatayud deGlanard, Mme Jenny Rindin, Ms.Judith Moran.Legal advisor : Batonnier Xavier Magnée.

Ministère des Affaires étrangères & européennesMinisterie van Buitenlandse Zaken en Europese ZakenRégion de Bruxelles-Capitale – Brussels Hoofdstedelijk GewestMinistre-Président et Ministre de l’Emploi et de l’EconomieMinister-President & de minister met Economie en tewerkstelling.Ville de Bruxelles- Stad BrusselI.D.E. Imprimerie des Editeurs à EverePhotothèque: Union européenne

Rue Philippe le Bon 58 – B.1000 Brusselswww.give-soul-to-europe.eu

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