From the European Parliament to the Council of the EU to the European Commission, there is a subject that everyone agrees on: the feeling of desolation after the fire that ravaged the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral on the evening of Monday 15 April. Less than 24 hours after the disaster, everyone said they were ready to help France rebuild this 12th century monument, a symbol of French and European history.
Among the many reactions was that of the President of the European Parliament who called on his colleagues to donate their day’s salary. “As a former resident of Paris, as an Italian, as a European, my heart is wounded, as are all of our hearts, by what happened yesterday in Paris. Members of Parliament have suggested that I raise money. A box will be placed outside the plenary. We can put what we earn today into it to send a positive message from the European Parliament”, Antonio Tajani said at the beginning of the plenary session.
Possible support from the European budget
The President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, also expressed his support for France. On the night of the fire, he issued the following statement: “Notre-Dame de Paris belongs to the whole of humanity. It has inspired writers, painters, philosophers and visitors who have come from all around the world. What a sad spectacle. What a horror”. And the next day, he added: “We're all a little bereaved. The European Commission is ready to support all the efforts France will need”. At the meeting of the College of Commissioners, the European Commission sent a message of sympathy to France. The Commissioners for Regional Policy, Corina Cretu, for Culture, Tibor Navracsics, for Budget, Günther Oettinger, and for Humanitarian Aid, Chrístos Stylianídis, have been invited to get involved so that the Commission can closely monitor the reconstruction efforts.
For his part, the Commissioner for Culture, Tibor Navracsics, who was in Bucharest for the informal meeting of the ministers of culture, raised the possibility of releasing European funds. "We are mapping our possibilities. In the future, we will probably be able to use EU funds to help the French authorities rebuild this monument”.
For his part, the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, called on the Member States to take action: “France is going to rebuild its cathedral. From Strasbourg, the French capital of the European Union, I call on all the 28 Member States to take part in this task. I know that France could do it alone, but at stake here is something more than just material help. The burning of the Notre Dame cathedral has again made us aware that we are bound by something more important and more profound than treaties”.
The topic is present in Strasbourg and Bucharest
Not surprisingly, many MEPs also spoke about the disaster at the opening of the Brexit plenary session (see other news).
According to Esteban González Pons (EPP, Spain), “the fire made us more European, not because we cried together, but because together we will rebuild the cathedral”. And he continued: “This event raises questions for me: why do the British want to leave? The EU is a community of values and principles. If it doesn't feel like it's working, the reforms will fix things. But we must not leave, we must not abandon ship, because everything can be reformed”.
The President of the S&D Group in the European Parliament, Udo Bullmann of Germany, said: “We are united today, looking towards Paris. This is our cathedral, you are not alone”.
Many other MEPs, from all political groups and nationalities, also took the floor to express their support for France. The co-chair of the ENF group in Parliament, Nicolas Bay of France, suggested a 24-hour truce in the political campaign, “because we are in a bit of mourning”.
Led by former Secretary of State for European Affairs Nathalie Loiseau, the liste Renaissance suspended its campaign.
In Bucharest, the European ministers of culture mentioned this disaster when they arrived at the informal meeting organised by the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council. The reaction of Myrsini Zorba, the Greek Minister of Culture, was undoubtedly the most striking. “It can happen at any time, we all live in fear”, she said. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)