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One of the fundamental elements of the history of the European integration is the widening. From Europe to 6, 1951, CECA Treaty, to Europe to 25, in 2004. it is an important history for many aspects, but we want to examine it under the profile of the international presence of the European subject today. We start from the beginning, from the first widening: by the 6, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland and Luxemburg, we arrive in troubled terms and with an effort that has lasted 20 years, at an Europe to 9. A great problem is the widening to Great Britain. In 1973, as known, enter in the European union Great Britain, Ireland and Denmark. Why the widening is also important in international terms, to Great Britain? Because Great Britain always had, and it still maintains, an original role on the international scene. We think, for instance, about the privileged relationships with the United States of America, that have worked in great moments of crisis and difficulty in the past century and also in the beginning of this century, but we also think about the particular vision that Great Britain has about world market. There is a kind of long historical preparation inside the fact of the adhesion. But we immediately think about the following moment. Subsequently enter the European Economic Community, as it called at that time, but we more simply call today European Union, Greece, Portugal and Spain. Three countries that go out of inside dictatorial experiences. This is also an extremely important fact from the point of view of the international presence of the European union, because it points out that there is a great and irresistible capacity of attraction of the European union towards countries that return, arrive perhaps, conquer, consolidate the democratic freedom to their inside. This is a point of capital importance that will exceptionally become meaningful with the fall of the wall in Berlin. Fall of the wall in Berlin in 1989, Europe is still to 12, but the following widening will be conditioned by the end of bipolar Europe, to a radically different setup of the world equilibriums. Pratically, by the opening of the frontiers toward the Center-east. This is a fact of great meaning, really because it accents the international presence of the European Union, conferring her, naturally, also new obligations, for instance, obligations in subject of management of the international crises, since is impossible now, after having become Europe to 25, to neglect permanent situations of crisis as those that are verified in the western Balkans. But we want to examine better this great widening. Meanwhile there are 8 countries of center-oriental Europe: Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Poland, the three Baltic countries; but there are also Malta and Cyprus, therefore with a meaningful extension also toward the Mediterranean area. But I would like to observe beyond the pure and simple new configuration of Europe to 25, that there is a convergence of 2 symmetrical impulses, because it is true that on one side there are these countries that have made some adhesion to the European union a kind of great inspiring motive for their new politics, almost the recognition of their new national and international status; but it also needs to say that there has been on the other side also an element of ready European answer to the appointments and the missions proclaimed for the European union from the history. Since there is a mission and a destiny in this widening and this is extremely important, also because looking at the possible ones, probable, future widening, can come never in less, from Europe, the awareness that is an international presence that is mission and destiny of the European union.
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