'Building Union among people not cooperation between states' (Jean Monnet). Is this an accurate description of the contemporary integration process?

The first 200 words of this essay...

'Building Union among people not cooperation between states' (Jean Monnet). Is this an accurate description of the contemporary integration process?

Built on the foundations of communication, the EU has promoted the union among European people perhaps to a greater extent than cooperation between states. The EU has tried to encourage mutual respect and understanding, by focusing on good communication among people across Europe. To this end the EU is keen to encourage, language learning, exchanges and visits, an EU dimension in education, and partnerships and dialogue within the EU and with other parts of the world. However, this area of European integration is often seen as a hurdle as union among the people is harder to achieve than cooperation between states. This is in light of sovereignty and the individual's sense of national pride. Nonetheless, building union among people can be seen as a paramount issue in the integration process.

Since its creation, the EU has indeed brought much more integration among the people of Europe. Prior to 1957, European countries were somewhat insecure or even suspicious of their neighbours as a consequence of many years of war and distrust. Nowadays, with regards to Britain, British citizens