ABSTRACT
The essay deals with the various efforts made by the European institutions, as well as by some national governments, to launch a European policy in the field of education. The development of European education was immediately regarded as a relevant aim by pro-European movements, and education was often closely tied to the concept of “European culture”. Although the Rome Treaties had no specific provisions about the issue of education, Italy almost immediately put forward the project for a European University. Due mainly to French opposition, the European University Institute (EUI) was only created in the mid-1970s as a research institution rather than a real university. The main turning point was the decision to launch the Erasmus program and the Jean Monnet action in the second half of the 1980s. The analysis also takes into consideration the most recent policies pursued in this context. The contribution aims at replying to some crucial questions: (a) Why was the field of education regarded as so important by some Europeanist leaders? (b) Which were the main goals of the ones who advocated such a policy? (c) Which were the main obstacles and contradictions? (d) Last but not least, were the European institutions successful?
