Abstract

MARTINS, Vítor. Economic and social cohesion: from the apogee to the twilight?. Relações Internacionais [online]. 2017, n.53, pp.11-18. ISSN 1645-9199.  https://doi.org/10.23906/ri2017.53a02.

The big project to rebuild and unify Europe, launched after Second World War, had been grounded on the solidarity principle which had been highlighted by European founding fathers as Monnet, Schumann and Adenauer. This principle is the base of the economic and social cohesion concept created by Jacques Delors and supported by Tommaso Paddoa‑Schioppa and would become to integrate the European Single Act. The cohesion tools have been responsible for the strong real convergence and marked growth of the European economy until the end of 90's. Among other factors, the enlargement to the East and Central Europe, the financial crisis, the intergovernmental drift in the institutional system, led to the economic and social cohesion concept dilution. But without cohesion - political, economic and social - there will be no future to the Union. And there will be no ‘variable geometry' that could save it.

Keywords : European Union; Cohesion Found; European Single Act; Jacques Delors.

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