Our heart is in Europe

Many millions of people in Europe benefit from peace, freedom and the common European market. It is the basis of our prosperity and our quality of life. We cannot allow everything the people of Europe have developed over decades to be destroyed by a groundswell of Euroscepticism. This is why we at innogy have joined forces with other companies to take a stand – for an open, unified and strong Europe: #We4Europe!

My two children take the benefits of Europe for granted: They can go on holiday in Europe without taking their passport, pay in euros, study abroad and work in other European countries. They frequently cross the German-Dutch border when they go to spend the weekend with their grandparents. In fact they hardly even notice where the border lies, for there are no longer any barrier gates or border controls to mark it. My children are the children of a unified Europe – a life without the EU is something beyond the limits of their imagination. The borders that we of the preceding generation still remember are something they have never experienced. 

Europe is currently experiencing an unprecedented crisis of confidence

Yet the EU is only 60 years old. Konrad Adenauer, Alcide de Gasperi and Robert Schuman wanted to create a peaceful union out of the rubble of two World Wars. Something that seemed an unrealistic dream to many at the time has long become a reality. What is more, we now enjoy a degree of personal prosperity, freedom and security that the founding fathers of Europe could never have envisaged, even in their wildest dreams.

But that same Europe is increasingly under threat. More and more people are critical of Europe. To many, Europe stands primarily for excessive bureaucracy and seems a pointless waste of money. Others see Europe as the cause of all the current crises and yearn for their past life, safe within their national borders.

A whole range of political parties is now campaigning for a departure from Europe and the euro. In the United Kingdom, Brexit has already been decided. In the Netherlands and France, the voters luckily decided otherwise.

We have to stand up for Europe

I am a child of Europe. Without the European Union, my life would have taken a different course. This is why I feel duty bound to take a decisive stand for Europe. And I am not alone in this. Many people are taking a stand for Europe. For instance, I need only think of the growing “Pulse of Europe” movement. Every Sunday they gather in many different European cities, including here in Essen – people of all different age groups – to demonstrate for freedom of thought and action, tolerance and respect, and for a unified Europe. I find that very heartening. And I am pleased that many of our colleagues share these sentiments.

It is, however, not just the men and women of Europe but also the companies of this Union who bear responsibility for the future of Europe. For everything from the European Coal and Steel Community to the signing of the Treaties of Rome, industry was always the front runner and loyal companion of European Union. If public faith in Europe crumbles, not only are the foundations of our common existence at risk but also the common European market — the very basis of our economic success in Europe. Yet many companies and industry associations have so far shied away from adopting a clear position. We at innogy want to take a strong stand for Europe – and lead the way.

innogy is a European company through and through. This applies as much to our legal form as it does to our geographic outlook and our self-image as a company. innogy benefits from Europe, so we want to give back a little of what Europe affords us every day of the week. This is why we at innogy have put the subject of Europe on our communication agenda. Our entire Executive Board is committed to this. In dialogue with our employees, we are advocating for the unity of Europe. Over 40,000 employees work for innogy. If each of them raises the subject of Europe with just five other people, 200,000 will soon be joining the discussion.

Europe is the solution to the big issues of our time

To increase the impact of this dialogue, we have joined forces with eight other companies. We want to work together in taking a strong stand for Europe. A first expression of this is our common commitment to Europe: #We4Europe! For the future of Europe is the responsibility of all of us.

Together we must address the questions for which better answers can be found at a European level – questions like: How can we survive in the digital age? How can we maintain our global competitiveness and attract new talent? How can we network Europe in such a way that energy streams and data connections do not end at national borders? These issues require the input and involvement of all parties, which is why we are calling on everyone in government, industry and society to join us in standing up for an open, unified and strong Europe. We are convinced that Europe is not part of the problem – it is the solution.