‘And I always thought that Europa was sitting on a bull!’ In 1981, rewriting the ancient myth of the abduction of Europa by Zeus, the German cartoonist, Hanel, takes an ironic look at the lack of passion felt by European citizens for the European Community.

On 22 November 1983, Gaston Thorn, President of the Commission of the European Communities, gives an address at the Royal Institute for International Relations (IRRI) in Brussels in which he indicates the ways and means for Europe to escape from its economic, political and institutional deadlock.

On 20 November 1984, Émile Noël, Secretary-General of the Commission of the European Communities, gives a lecture to the Royal Institute for International Relations (IRRI), in Brussels, in which he emphasises the need to give a new impetus to the European integration process, despite economic and political difficulties.

In 1982, Alois Mock, President of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP), deplores the loss of a European vision and claims that political debate in Europe is increasingly dictated by conflicts of interests.