The UElement.- Good morning, we are delighted that you are here with us today to discuss the issue of the entry of Spain into the European Union and its consequences.

Firstly, do you think this integration was a good idea?

Javier Ibáñez.- Yes, of course. Spain’s entry to the European Union meant many advantages for our country. Firstly, from the economic point of view, it opened the market to a level never seen in our country, allowing numerous companies compete with other European ones. In fact, many companies became props in different sectors surpassing even the European ones. Another example of this, are the Erasmus scholarships that allow college students to study in other countries of the European Union and learn about different cultures, something that would be much more complicated if we did not belong to it.

 

TUE.- From your historian in process point of view, why was this integration produced?

JI.- I think that the main reason is that “The union makes the force” and the advantages of the entry into this institution were huge. But also, there is no doubt that the entry of our country initialed and confirmed the democratization (which, let’s remember, 11 years ago was a dictatorship where many freedoms were conspicuous by their absence) and modernization of the country (allowed Spain to show in Europe and the world as a leading country in every way). In fact, I remember reading an interview for a project in the newspaper ‘El País’ to the ex president Felipe González in 1996 where it said that the inclusion of Spain in the occidental world depended, in his opinion at that time he was president, of the insertion in the occidental world and that the best way for this was the accession of our country to the CE.

 

TUE.- What are the benefits that has provided this change?

JI.- As I have already said, at the economic level, it allowed the Spanish companies enter more easily into the European and international markets. For example, agriculture was, during the early years, our greatest contribution to the Union (remember that the French were opposed and our support in 1977 for fear of our agricultural producer). At the education level, the Erasmus grants. In addition to following common policies in areas such as defense, freedoms of European citizens, among many others.

 

TUE.- And the negatives?

JI.- This is the most difficult part of all.

 

TUE.- Do you think the standard of living of the Spanish people would be the same without the European Union? What would be the situation, from your point of view, in which Spain would be if was not part of the EU?

JI.- Obviously not, it will not be the same. Now, tell whether better or worse is more complicated. I would not know what to tell you. Considering that history would have followed the same path until now, that is, Schengen Agreement in 1995, monetary union with the Euro in 2001, among others, for surely it would be much worse and many of the things that people normally do, like travelling on vacation to a European country of the European Union, they would be much more complicated.

 

TUE.- Should Spain still remain part of this political community?

JI.- Undoubtedly yes, all European countries have a tradition and common values, such as democracy, which have been expressed through the Union that guarantees our rights and freedoms. This makes us all European Union countries much stronger and Spain certainly too.

 

TUE.- Now let’s go to your field, History, in your opinion, what are the reasons why the European Union (and its predecessors communities) were founded?

JI.- As you know, the World War II had devastating effects for Europe. The vast majority of Europeans were tired of confrontations in the continent, so a movement was created, the European Movement, which expected the establishment of a unit within Europe that could preserve peace and Human Rights on the continent. For this, two paths were followed, one political (with the European Council, for example) and other economic (ECSC, Eurostat, OECD and the EEC) that sought to keep these values. This is the main reason.

 

TUE.- Do you think the initial objectives with which the European Union was founded have been met?

JI.- Yes, until now in Europe there has been no wars between countries that are part of the Union, although in others there have been (Balkan War between 1991 and 1999). There has also been an economic union, whose highest expression is the Euro we share 19 of the 28 Member States. Finally, we have a series of organizations at all levels of political powers: legislative (Parliament and the European Council), executive (European Commission) and judicial (Justice Court).

 

TUE.- In a future, will the European Union continue growing as a national entity going to form a kind of Federal State; will continue as before or will disintegrate?

JI.- The work of a historian is to analyze and understand the past, always from an objective point of view and telling the truth. Although many of my future colleagues intend to be "prophets", it is virtually impossible to know what will happen. Now, my opinion is that surely it will try to reach a national entity giving greater power to the European institutions. This path will be difficult since many countries today still do not meet many of the guidelines approved in Brussels.

 

TUE.- What do you think will happen with the famous “Brexit”?

JI.- I think, and this is a personal opinion once again, that Britain has a small tantrum that has been dragging since it began to be affected by the financial crisis of 2008. Its solution is to get more independence from Europe, something they have always defended, if not, let’s remember the famous phrase: "The continent is asylee" referring to the storms in the English Channel. The EU certainly will grant their demands, so I do not think it will occur. British politicians, faced with these concessions, will  be responsible to convince British citizens of the advantages of staying at the new concessions.

 

TUE.- Finally, if I say ‘European Union’, what is the first word that comes to your head?

JI.-Just one? It is complicated, but I think that I would choose ‘Democracy’.

 

TUE.- Thank you Javier very much for your time.