ABSTRACT
Long before European institutions were created, European identity was already an issue of intellectual debate (Cerutti 2001). Ever since the European Union (EU) underwent the transformation process from an intergovernmental to a supranational regime, it has been subject to scientific and public debate. One of the main reasons for this intensified interest in the EU lies in the assumption that a European identity is necessary to continuously legitimize the EU as a supranational regime. 1
