The award of the
Nobel Peace Prize to the EU has sparked a mixture of enthusiasm and of
criticism which needs to be put into perspective. This is the purpose of this Viewpoint of Notre Europe – Jacques Delors Institute by Yves Bertoncini and António Vitorino, which is based on three main complementary
observations: 

1 – It is right to
welcome the historic job of reconciliation initiated by the European
construction.

2 – The euro zone, set up to consolidate peace, is more
than ever a factor for stability.

3 – We now need to move on from “peace in
unity” to “unity is strength”.

The European
elections in June 2014 will be a key moment in this perspective, 100 years
after the start of “World War I” – which was also one of the last great episodes of carnage on
European soil, thanks to the founding fathers’ political genius.