Integrating social and family policy for the 90's - closing address [by P.M. E. Fenech-Adami]

Abstract

No doubt, it was repeated often enough at the opening session of this conference that it is a simultaneous celebration of a triple anniversary. At the global level, we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on Progress and Development. At the continental level the celebration is of the 40th anniversary of the Council of Europe. At the local level we Maltese are celebrating the 25th anniversary of our Independence. But of these three levels, it is clear that the European one was central at least in terms of numbers of participants. Indeed, there have been many symptoms of a question that is haunting the mind of many Europeans and that was evoked somewhat dimly, as befits a spectral presence, by the Minister for Social Policy, Louis Galea, in his opening address. The ghostly question is: When Europe achieves the maximum of economic unity, by the magical year of 1992 or whenever, without however having attained any political unity except the minimum, what will happen to social policy? Can the social ideals which have mostly inspired Europe over the past years survive the consolidation of a common market, without any common political authority?