Berlin played host to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the signature of the Treaties of Rome, the cornerstone of the modern European Union over the weekend. Germany's presidency of the Council is a fortuitous coincidence, imbuing these celebrations with a particularly symbolic air. As one of the founding nations, a country divided until 1989, it serves as a reminder of the Union's initial purpose: to allow Europe's citizens to live together in peace.
To mark the day, the Berlin Declaration was signed by all 27 Heads of State and Government. Say what you will about the political significance of this document, it includes a number of key features which are a sign of the development the Union has undergone over the past 50 years and the challenges it faces today.
Including the fight against illegal immigration in the Berlin Declaration was particularly important to the Spanish government, who has demanded Europe provide additional resources to help it tackle the onslaught of African migrants that risk their lives to land on the Canary Islands. More than 31,000 migrants reached the islands last year, six times more than in 2005. FRONTEX, the EU border control agency, has been working toward finding practical solutions to return migrants to their home countries.
In addition, the fight against racism and xenophobia was formally written into the declaration:
“We will fight terrorism, organised crime and illegal immigration together. We stand up for liberties and civil rights also in the struggle against those who oppose them. Racism and xenophobia must never again be given any rein.”
The latter reflects Europe's commitment to fundamental rights, formally anchored in the Charter. In the absence of a ratified European Constitution, these kind of declarations, the commitment to the European Year of Equal Opportunities and the Court of Justice's decision to uphold the provisions of the Charter in its rulings are the only means to express the importance of these guiding principles for EU policy making.
