“A Plea to Central Europe”

The entry of Central European countries into the European Union caused fears in the fifteen countries of the union - especially France, for economic as well as political reasons.
Today, one can observe that the much feared invasion of products from countries of the East didn’t take place, while Western European countries experienced increased trade surpluses. Consumption in Eastern European countries therefore served to feed economic activity. The magnitude of the displacement was overestimated to a great degree. At present, the problem has moved. The countries of Central Europe, on their part, are seeing themselves affected by movements to the East or more toward the South. Likewise, an invasion of cheap labor power didn’t take place. The workers of the countries of the East do not desire to leave their countries, recently freed from the Soviet yoke. Also, population movements do not affect France, but rather Germany and Austria. Nor is it necessary to argue too much about the threat of an invasion resulting from the circulation of services in a single market, better known these days as the “Bolkestein Directive.” Enough with taking necessary precautions so that that liberalization of services continues being compatible with the rules in force in countries where it works. Much has been criticized about “Atlanticist” deviation, but in fact the countries of Central Europe, like the rest, are in favor of Europe being able to play a leading role as an independent force on the international scene. Basically, they do not wish that that policy harms the bonds that have been established with the United States.
All those fears have little to do with the constitutional treaty. On the contrary, we think that the application of that treaty should serve to decrease them. The constitutional treaty, much more than previous ones, emphasizes the principles and values of the European social and cultural model. The institutional improvements that it serves to put in place should dissipate worries that the Union is limited to a simple free trade area; these offer to give the UE a foundation that will allow it to begin to guarantee its security in the world and become a true political power. The countries of Central Europe-that have suffered the consequences of Yalta and which have been razed by conflicts and wars so many times throughout their history-value the contribution of a European Union directed at giving them greater security and reinforcing their democratic systems.
For that, it is necessary to ratify the Constitution.