ABSTRACT
The European Union (EU) was conceived, several decades ago, as a largely political project, at a time when the memories of the Second World War were still vivid in the minds of many Europeans and when the effects of the war on the economies were still visible. The dream of a United Europe was not new. In the past, several historical fi gures, including Napoleon and Metternich, had entertained such a dream. The belief was that a politically united Europe would reduce or eliminate the frictions that in the past had often led to horrible wars and to much destruction and misery.
