Has European integration contributed to save or to undermine the nation state?

Résumé du document

In 1882 Ernest Renan declared: “a Nation is a soul, a spiritual principle. Two things, which, in truth, are really one, constitute this soul, this spiritual principle. One is in the past, the other in the present. One is the possession in common of a rich legacy of memories, the other is the present day consent, the desire to live together… to have the glory of the past in common, a shared will in the present, to have done great deeds together, and want to do more of them, are the essential conditions for the constitution of a people.” To be not only a Nation, but a real Nation State, people must possess a permanent population, defined territory, government and capacity to enter into relations with other states. The lives of Western Europeans have been molded by this concept of Nation State for almost two hundred years. The French constitution of 26th August 1789 declared in its third article “Le principe de toute souveraineté réside essentiellement dans la Nation” (the principle of sovereignty essentially lies in Nation).

Extraits

[...] Moreover, European integration has not only diminished States' competences, it has also tried to create a European consciousness, this “soul and spiritual principle” defined by Renan as the condition for forming a Nation. Maastricht treaty created a European citizenship over and above national citizenship by making every citizen who is a national of a member State becoming a citizen of the union. This seems to be really threatening for the traditional Nation State. Nevertheless, do EU's institutions and concrete ways of operating of its actors really reflect a sense of common belonging? [...]

[...] The enlargement process and the numerous new candidatures of adhesion Bulgaria, Rumania, Turkey - to the union achieve to demonstrate how European Union is perceived by Nation States as a way of becoming more prosperous. European Union represents an attractive and dynamic zone, which can help States to face the challenge of globalization and stay competitive. We could have affirmed naively, like many euro skeptics, that a strong antithesis between European integration and Nation States exists. However, in reality, even if the process of integration implies some concessions, European integration has helped to save European Nation States rather than destroyed them. [...]

[...] Has European integration contributed to save or to undermine the nation state? In 1882 Ernest Renan declared: Nation is a soul, a spiritual principle. Two things, which, in truth, are really one, constitute this soul, this spiritual principle. One is in the past, the other in the present. One is the possession in common of a rich legacy of memories, the other is the present day consent, the desire to live together to have the glory of the past in common, a shared will in the present, to have done great deeds together, and want to do more of them, are the essential conditions for the constitution of a people.”[1] To be not only a Nation, but a real Nation State, a people must possess a permanent population, defined territory, government and capacity to enter into relations with other states. [...]

[...] This proves that European Commission is expected by nation states to be a way of reinforcing their legitimacy and prestige. Councils also have this intergovernmental legitimacy. First of all, the Council of ministers makes one minister of each member state take part in meetings[12]. The identity of the minister who attends these meetings depends on the subjects which are on the agenda. In this institution as well, delegates of the nation states have great powers: they have six main functions, which most important are: giving the main orientations of economic policies and taking part in the definition of the budget[13].The second council, which is called European council, deals with the safety and security policies, coordinates Eurojust and Europol's actions, and approves the budget. [...]

[...] Moreover, since 1945, a real political alternative to government from the national centre has grown while some western European States, have been discussing the possibility of unification. However, some defenders of the Nation state remain, and they often denounce European integration as a way of destroying it. As Tony Blair with his theory of they ask for a limit to be drawn to the process in order to save the Nation. But is there really such an antithesis between European integration and the nation-state? Can't it be argued as Alan S. [...]