Commemorating Europe?

The article aims to generate insights for further work on the legitimacy of politics in the European Union. Through an analysis of European newspapers, we examine and compare practices of memorializing the dates of two key events in the history of the European Union: the declaration by Robert Schuman on May 9 1950, and the signing of the Treaties of Rome on March 25 1957. The analysis traces the role of symbols and the unfolding of a collective memory around these dates over a time-span of six decades. The article’s preliminary findings show that the Treaties are increasingly becoming the focus of a ritual of remembrance that can offer an anchor for “European memory.” That is, the Treaties are regarded as a focal point of the past that informs the present and future of EU integration through the manner in which they play out in justifications of the policy-process. By contrast – and surprisingly – the Schuman Speech does not seem to be an important retrospective point of reference as yet, even though it is part of the official set of symbols of the Union. In general, practices of commemoration have become more inclusive over time: in addition to political elites they increasingly involve citizens as well. It remains to be seen, however, whether the events positively resonate with citizens in the long-run.