journal of european integration history revue d'histoire de l ...
journal of european integration history revue d'histoire de l ...
journal of european integration history revue d'histoire de l ...
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110Maria Eleonora GuasconiDecember 1969. The Italian <strong>de</strong>legation was composed <strong>of</strong> Prime minister MarianoRumor, Foreign minister Aldo Moro and the un<strong>de</strong>rsecretary <strong>of</strong> Foreign affairs,Mario Pedini.On the eve <strong>of</strong> the conference, Moro outlined some <strong>of</strong> his government's goals:the need to emphasise the link between the <strong>de</strong>epening and the enlargement <strong>of</strong> theEC; the strengthening <strong>of</strong> Euratom and other European institutions, in particular theEuropean Parliament, through the direct election <strong>of</strong> its members; and the creation<strong>of</strong> a European University Institute in Italy. 37 The Italian Foreign minister thoughtthat the Six had:«reached the limit <strong>of</strong> their economic <strong>integration</strong>; beyond that limit a simpleeconomic co-ordination was not sufficient, as it was necessary to reach a realcommon economic policy. Only a radical shift in the distribution <strong>of</strong> EC <strong>de</strong>cisionpower and the consequent strengthening <strong>of</strong> the European institution can reconcilethe <strong>de</strong>mand <strong>of</strong> strong expansion with a planned European <strong>de</strong>velopment». 38Although the freedom <strong>of</strong> manoeuvre for ‘minor’ partners, such as Italy, wasnarrow, it seems restrictive to affirm that the only outcome <strong>of</strong> the Hague summitwas the French-German <strong>de</strong>al. Consi<strong>de</strong>red «rather vague and confused» 39 by theFrench Foreign minister, Maurice Schumann, Rumor’s speech at the conference,did however, elicit Italian objectives. Stressing the need to consi<strong>de</strong>r the triplet as aunique political goal, the Italian Prime minister continued by saying that Italy wasready to accept a financial regulation for agriculture,«provi<strong>de</strong>d that it ma<strong>de</strong> for an equitable distribution <strong>of</strong> bur<strong>de</strong>ns, weighing on theeconomies <strong>of</strong> member states, with common prices and market systems for sectorslike wine and tobacco which did not have them at present». 40Rumor ad<strong>de</strong>d that the solution for the financial regulation <strong>of</strong> the CAP couldonly be consi<strong>de</strong>red as temporary and the distribution <strong>of</strong> bur<strong>de</strong>ns between nationaleconomies should be «reasonable». He requested that the Italian contribution to theEAGGF be fixed at a maximum <strong>of</strong> 23 %. 41On the second day, Rumor agreed with the French and German proposals,suggesting an intensification <strong>of</strong> monetary and economic co-operation and also withthe proposal for regular meetings <strong>of</strong> the economic and financial ministers. TheItalian Prime minister strongly supported both the i<strong>de</strong>a <strong>of</strong> harmonising existing37. HAEC, Carlo Scarascia Mugnozza Papers (CSM), Letter by Moro to Scarascia Mugnozza, RomeDecember 1 st 1969. Since 1958 the Italian government had proposed to establish the EuropeanUniversity in Florence. See J. M. PALAYRET, Un'università per l'Europa. Le origini <strong>de</strong>ll'IstitutoUniversitario Europeo, Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca <strong>de</strong>llo Stato, Roma, 1996.38. HAEC, CSM, Letter by Moro to Scarascia Mugnozza, Rome December 1 st 1969; see also: A.MORO, Discorsi Parlamentari (1963-1977), Camera <strong>de</strong>i Deputati, Roma, 1996 pp.1411-1429.39. AN, GP, Note by Schumann on the Hague Conference, December 6 th 1969.40. PRO, FCO30/272, Telegram n.607 from The Hague to London, European Summit Conference,December 1 st 1969, unclassified. Kindly ma<strong>de</strong> available by Alan S. Milward.41. PRO, FCO30/272, Telegram n.609 from The Hague to London, European Summit Conference,December 1 st 1969, confi<strong>de</strong>ntial, and European Commission Archives (ECA), Brussels, Fol<strong>de</strong>r1888, Conférence au Sommet <strong>de</strong> La Haye, European Community Bulletin, pp.50-55.