On Thursday 12 March 2015, Pat Cox, former President of the European Parliament and of the European Movement International, gave his inaugural lecture on the University of Lausanne campus as the Foundation’s new President. The conference was opened by José Maria Gil-Robles, the Foundation’s outgoing president, who also introduced Mr. Cox to the audience of nearly 300 people.
• Biographical notice of Pat Cox
In his very dense speech “From the economic crisis to a political crisis in the European Union? “, Pat Cox looks back at the crisis in the euro zone since 2008 and the resulting economic stagnation, at least in some countries. It underlines Germany’s central role in understanding the responses to the crisis, both in terms of the reforms adopted and those not adopted. It regrets that Germany, which has more room for manoeuvre than many other countries, is reluctant to commit itself more to public investment, notwithstanding the obvious needs, and thus renounces its possible contribution to economic recovery in Europe.
According to him, the debt crisis hit Greece with particular severity, reporting a total decline in national income of a quarter for six years, and producing deep social unrest. The Troika’s assessments of the potential impact of Greece’s first relief programme were far too optimistic.
The euro zone has produced a series of reforms since the beginning of the crisis. These reforms should reduce the possibility of a similar crisis in the future. But taken as a whole, they have not yet achieved the necessary balance to get the euro area out of its current crisis.
In conclusion, Pat Cox suggests that doing all that is necessary should be the watchword of our political leaders and not just that of ECB President Mario Draghi (who had said that everything that should be done to preserve the euro will be done). The ambition combined with pragmatism was the Monnet method in which the new president of the Foundation says he recognizes himself. According to him, Europe needs a new “Monnet moment”.
Echos in the medias
• Frédéric Koller, Jean Monnet contre l’austérité (Le Temps, 14 mars 2015)
• Catherine Dubouloz, « L’âme de l’Europe », (Le Temps, 13 mars 2015)</strong>
• Bernard Bridel, « L’Europe, c’est un système de valeurs », (24 Heures, 12 mars 2015)
• Marie-Hélène Miauton, L’Union européenne entre économie et politique (Le Temps, 20 mars 2015)
• Nadine Richon, « Il faut que l’Europe puisse refleurir et non dépérir », (Uniscope n° 602, 2015)
Opening of the conference by José Maria Gil-Robles
Lecture by Pat Cox
Debate with the public