Statement by the presidents of European Movement Germany and France, Linn Selle and Yves Bertoncini

Berlin, 8 May 2020. Working together, as a family would, and not looking for the root of the problem in the other – that is the message of the Schumann declaration. In light of its 70th anniversary this year, the presidents of European Movement Germany and France, Linn Selle and Yves Bertoncini, hope to revive this spirit. In a joint statement, they describe the challenges awaiting the former arch-enemies 75 years after the end of World War II and why the German-French relationship is best described as “cousins germains”:

Two meaningful anniversaries nearly coincide these days: today, 8 May, 75 years ago World War II, which started as a European and Franco-German war, ended. Tomorrow, on 9 May we commemorate Robert Schuman’s declaration creating the coal and steel community 70 years ago. The latter’s aim was to make another war between France and Germany “not just unimaginable but materially impossible”. Despite 75 years of peace, the rhetoric of war has returned, shaping the discourse on the fight against the current pandemic. So too the crisis responses, taken by national governments of Europe, seemed as from another century, as countries looked out but for themselves, unilaterally closing borders and hoarding medical supplies. Despite some of these measures having been lifted by now, the anniversary of Schengen had to be celebrated behind closed turnpikes.

However, the lesson of the Corona crisis above all is that a pandemic needs pan-European solutions. The rescue package and roadmap to recovery agreed upon by the EU-27 heads of state is a good first step, though, in the negotiations leading up to this agreement, some government made their differences all too clear. In any case the lions share of the work lies still ahead of us.

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