EuroCommerce offers its warmest congratulations to the European Union on being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Having emerged from post-war reconciliation, the European Union has played a vital role in delivering six decades of peace, freedom, friendship and cooperation. After a turbulent history, the EU has successfully united Europe in diversity. Today, forces are joined to seize common opportunities and European policy is made by dialogue, not war. “We commend the past and current architects of the European project for what they have delivered for European citizens and businesses”, said Christian Verschueren, director-general of EuroCommerce.     

In these days of gloom in the European economy, this award represents a message of hope and encouragement. We echo the remarks of President Barroso, who heralded this recognition as a message that the European Union is something very precious that we should cherish.      

With the freedom, peace, and stability created by the European project, businesses and citizens have been able to bloom. Several waves of EU enlargement have created a single market for 500 million people to trade, work, and move without the obstacles of borders, offering better prospects in a globalised environment. Commerce and peace go hand in hand. Where there is one, there is often the other, as Montesquieu already observed in the 18th century. Christian Verschueren, added : “The European project and peace on the continent have helped commerce to develop, modernize and expand over the past seven decades. This has not only enabled goods to be traded and business opportunities to develop across borders, it has, most essentially, provided European consumers with a better living and more affordable choices.”

With this ultimate global recognition arriving just before the Single Market Week, EuroCommerce stresses the importance of the benefits of, but also the remaining work to be done for a well-functioning internal market, so that businesses and consumers can fully enjoy its benefits.