Chirac’s France, Schroeder’s Germany, Heseltinia and Pattendom are all members of the economically and globally weak Old Europe.
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld first talked of Old Europe in the run-up to the toppling of Saddam Hussein. France and Germany were, he said, ‘Old Europe’ and their unwillingness to fight the war on terror was not shared by ‘New European’ nations like Poland.
Euro-sceptics point to four main defects of Old Europe:
Old Europe is made up of 10th September nations: They are unwilling to face up to the realities of the post-September 11th world. 'September 11th nations' believe that the west is in a race to the death with terrorists desperate to get hold of deadly weapons of mass destruction. Old Europe appears more afraid of the race than the terrorists’ ambition. It rejects pre-emption in favour of poseur multilateralism.
Old Europe is getting poorer: The euro has necessitated a one-size-fits-all monetary policy on divergent European economies. The result has been sclerotic economies throughout the eurozone. Old Europe’s economic weakness has been exacerbated by inflexible labour markets and bloated welfare states.
Old Europe is self-centred: British Euro-sceptics are often accused of being Little Englanders. But Old Europe is more vulnerable to charges of insularity. Gordon Brown has rightly criticised Brussels for trade policies that shut out developing nations and for aid policies that promote Europe's own economic goals.
Old Europe is getting older: European populations are ageing. Abortion, contraception, career choices and secularisation have reduced European birth rates – even in once Catholic nations like Italy. The combination of increased life expectancies with declining birth rates presents Old Europe with the world’s biggest demographic timebomb.
Old European people
Old Europe is not just a group of countries – it’s also a state of mind. Ken Clarke, Michael Heseltine, Douglas Hurd and Chris Patten represent the Tory Party’s dwindling number of Old Europeans. As well as being strong supporters of closer and deeper European union they support economic corporatism and oppose the war on terror.
Postscript
This negative assessment of Old Europe is not to say that the European Union has no redeeming facets. Since WWII it - along with NATO - has helped to bind once warring nations into a community of common interests. The recent enlargement of the EU is testimony to the community's continuing magnetic power.
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