History
The Belgian Council of the European Movement, founded in 1949, has played an important role in the European integration, especially under the inspiration of Presidents like Paul-Henri Spaak and Jean Rey, respectively Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the ECSC and of the European Commission.
A difficult financial situation and the European Parliament elections by universal suffrage in 1979 (which was, for some, an ideal link between the Community and its citizens) led the Belgian scuttling. The association was then dissolved when the European idea had progressed and its function to encourage the Belgian authorities to adopt a pro-European was less necessary.
In 1992, in the wake of Danish and French referendums on the Maastricht Treaty, and in opposition to 'Eurosceptics' who showed Europe as the cause of all evils, some political figures such Willy De Clercq(†), have revived the Movement European - Belgium. Because of a widening gap between European integration and public opinion, its action has become absolutely relevant and necessary.
Read more about this topic: European Movement Belgium
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“What is most interesting and valuable in it, however, is not the materials for the history of Pontiac, or Braddock, or the Northwest, which it furnishes; not the annals of the country, but the natural facts, or perennials, which are ever without date. When out of history the truth shall be extracted, it will have shed its dates like withered leaves.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“No one can understand Paris and its history who does not understand that its fierceness is the balance and justification of its frivolity. It is called a city of pleasure; but it may also very specially be called a city of pain. The crown of roses is also a crown of thorns. Its people are too prone to hurt others, but quite ready also to hurt themselves. They are martyrs for religion, they are martyrs for irreligion; they are even martyrs for immorality.”
—Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874–1936)