• 2020-05-09

Happy Europe Day

On 9 May 1950 French foreign minister, Robert Schuman proposed the creation of an organised Europe. The Schuman Declaration is considered to be the beginning of the creation of a great European community based on the values of freedom, democracy, human rights, i.e. today's European Union.

The European Community emerged as a need of European countries to overcome the consequences of World War II, to lay new foundations for security, economic progress, social development, tolerance and solidarity. The establishment of such a Community, comprised of nation-states with long-standing traditions, historical experiences and a varied degree of development, could not have been an easy task as the creation of a common institution, the transfer of competences from member states to the European level, has often met with both suspicion and resistance. The move towards the European Union, a common currency and a common security and foreign policy took place through various crises, but also brought with it a huge amount of success. One such success was the process of expanding the Union. In addition to economic and institutional issues, including Brexit, the Union is now facing a new challenge: how to respond to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. History has shown us that the Union has the potential for crisis resolution and the skill required to come out of a crisis even stronger.

Since its establishment, the Foundation Center for Democracy has advocated for the idea and the programme supporting Serbia’s integration into the European Union. This is based on the belief that the only way we can provide our citizens with a dignified life and protect their rights is to adopt European values, strengthen our economy in collaboration with the EU and develop our society as democratic, tolerant and law-based. This is the path we need to be on to become a developed European country.

The Foundation Center for Democracy wishes everyone a happy Europe Day!