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Let Them Eat Cake
It may have escaped your attention, but yesterday was Europe Day - a celebration of all that is marvellous and wonderful in the European Union. Believe it or not, May 9 2006 was the 20th Europe Day so far... has anyone been paying attention?
Well, France's minister for Europe Catherine Colonna has, for a start, though it could be argued that she has little else to do these days. She was able to make Tuesday a Fete l'Europe, lighting the Eiffel Tower blue and yellow in honour of the glorious union. A picnic was held in Strasbourg (wonder did the town's burghers elevate their rents for a day?) while choirs all over the country sang the European "hymn."
France is desperate to demonstrate it is a good citizen of the EU, despite last year's rejection of the European constitution, repeated refusals to abide by EU directives, resistance to any measures that might open French markets to European competition and hostility to further enlargement.
Even Austria, the current holder of the EU's rotating presidency, didn't make as much fuss as the French over Europe Day. The Austrians have played their presidency cool, preferring to show a steady pair of hands after the disastrous British presidency and the even worse six months under Luxembourg's control, when the French and Dutch dumped the constitution and budget talks collapsed amid the worst EU crisis for decades. The Austrians, understandably, want a period of calm.
Which is perhaps why they chose to celebrate Europe Day with sticky buns. Now grumblers might say that European waistbands are already expanding fast enough without EU encouragement to stuff yet more cakes down our gullets, but at least the Austrians have found one of the few things Europeans have in common - a taste for the sweet stuff.
Austria launched its Café d'Europe project, where intellectuals and bureaucrats hosted discussions in some of the continent's swishest cafés. The Irish got Bewley's in Dublin, while Italians at Bibli Caffé in Rome were treated to Giovanni Russo's "story of Europe" and a discussion between the Austrian ambassador in Italy, the ambassador for European integration and the EU commission director for Italy.
Sachertorte from Austria, Madeleines from France and Italy's own Tiramisu were on offer to make the event more palatable: Perhaps the Austrians should have made Europe Day a celebration of that other European favourite, strong liquor, as you'd need some after attending this dronefest.
The French had their day in the Café Les Deux Magots on Saint-Germain des Prés. More ambassadors, commission hacks and another writer, this time Christiane Singer, joining discussions with "students, teachers etc."
Les Deux Magots is a pretty good choice for a debate on the EU: It's overpriced, living on past glories, sustained only by tourists and forever in the shadow of its more fashionable and dynamic neighbour, where everyone knows the real action is.
