Putting the cart before the horse? Garret FitzGerald's cultivation of common ground and European identity, 1973

In response to Kissinger’s “Year of Europe,” FitzGerald transformed Ireland from a passive new member into a subtle builder of European identity. Rather than accepting a US-driven Atlantic charter, Dublin insisted that the Nine define themselves first within the already agreed EC and EPC frameworks. Ireland’s August 1973 identity paper, FitzGerald’s leadership, and Irish activity in the Political Committee and Groupe des Correspondents promoted adherence to legal precedent, shared democratic values, and a cautious, incremental approach to integration and future defence. The chapter illustrates how a small, neutral state quietly influenced the Copenhagen Declaration. In its first steps as an EC member in 1973, it actively shaped Irish policy on European identity and defence during the Cold War, mindful of Ireland’s singularity as the only non-NATO member of the EC.