His method was applicable to the very different circumstances of 1950, of 1974 and today – and indeed, to the years in between and still to come. I emphasise this not to revisit Monnet’s extraordinary contribution to the history of our continent.
It is because there are aspects of his method which remain crucial to guide our action in Europe today: namely, its focus on effectiveness, its insistence on subsidiarity, its sense of direction, and its concern for democratic backing.