On September 13th 1983, Altiero SPINELLI (COM, IT) presents a draft Treaty to the European Parliament establishing the European Union. Extracts from Altiero SPINELLI'sspeech at the "Palais de l'Europe" in Strasbourg and introduction by Egon KLEPSCH, EP President.

debate

plenary session

KLEPSCH, Egon A. (EPP, DE)

Treaty on European Union (acronym)

SPINELLI, Altiero (COM, IT)

Report on the European Union : Extracts from the speech by Altiero SPINELLI (COM, IT), Rapporteur

Introduction by Egon KLEPSCH, EP President (2 shots)

SOUNDBITE (French) Altiero SPINELLI (COM, IT), EP Rapporteur: "I shall try very briefly to explain, by a parable, the significance of my vote in favour. You must all know the short story by Hemingway, about an old fisherman who, after catching the biggest fish of his life, tries to get it back to shore. But bit by bit the sharks eat it, so that when the old man returns to shore, all that remains is a skeleton. Mr President, with the vote it will take in a few minutes, Parliament will have caught the biggest fish of its life. But it must bring it back into port. So let us be careful, because the sharks will always be there waiting to devour it. Let us try not to return into port with a skeleton." - (Prolonged applause) (2 shots)