(Agence EUROPE, 26 August 1994)

Emanuele Gazzo passed away on Thursday morning, 25 August, due to pulmonary complications related to a general weakening of his health. He was 86 years old. In the bulletin of 21 july, he published the last of his Editorials, which have accompanied the history of European integration practically since the Community has been in existence. Up to the last month of his life, he explained and commented on the progress and setbacks of European construction. He was perfectly lucid and a fighter right up to the end. His final Editorials on the appointment of Jacques Santer as the future President of the European Commission were an essential contribution to the clarity of the debate on this important and sensitive matter.

Among its difficulties and obstacles, European construction has always been lucky in one respect: there have always been outstanding men completely devoted to the cause, Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer, Alcide de Gasperi, Paul-Henri Spaak, Jean Monnet and so on down to Jacques Delors. Emanuele Gazzo belonged to this race. Intellectual qualities alone are not enough to play such a role: it also takes moral strength, courage, persistence and generosity. Emanuele Gazzo proved that he had such qualities. His Editorials were not limited to explanations and comments; they also served as an impetus to act, offered hope at difficult times, doubtless gave rise to many vocations and, in one way or another, had an influence on the unfolding of events. In order to relate and understand European construction from day to day, historians of tomorrow will give equal importance to available documentation and to Mr Gazzo's thousands of Editorials, published on this page nearly every day from the beginning of 1961, f

irst in the form of "Notes and Comments", later, from October 1966, in the form of the Editorial, which continued until July.

Whatever void has been left by the disappearance of Emanuele Gazzo, Agence EUROPE will continue its action, which is first and foremost to inform interested parties and the public about European affairs. We did not await the debate on openness to practice it ourselves; we will continue to do so, without bias, in total independence. Emanuele Gazzo cannot be replaced, however: accordingly, there will no longer appear, on the first page of the EUROPE Daily Bulletin, the Editorial to which readers have so long been accustomed. This daily comment was his alone: it would somehow seem improper to maintain it. Agence EUROPE will turn to other ways of offering its view when appropriate, in addition to its news coverage which will remain comprehensive, neutral and objective. Other ways, we repeat, because Emanuele Gazzo is irreplaceable.

Ferdinando Riccardi

--------------------------------------

Emanuele Gazzo was born in Genoa (Italy) in 1908. Married to Maria Ferraro since 1942, he had two daughters, Marina (Assistant Editor-in-Chief at Agence EUROPE) and Lidia (a contributor), and one granddaughter, Francesca. Mr Gazzo became a professional journalist in 1945. He was already active in federalist organisations, though not affiliated with any party.

In 1953, he was involved in the creation of Agence EUROPE in Luxembourg, acting successively as Editor-in-Chief, General Manager and Executive Vice-President, as well as contributing his Editorials without interruption.

Emanuele Gazzo received the European Journalism Award in 1967, the Gold Medal of European Merit in 1973, the Joseph Bech Award in 1980, the Bentinck European Award in 1981, the

"European Journalist" Award of the Union of Federalists in 1982 and the European Movement Plaque in 1989.

The editorial staff and personnel of AGENCE EUROPE and the personnel of L'IMPRIMERIE DE L EUROPE share in the grief of the Gazzo family at this sad time.