A call to my fellow Europeans.

The reflex action to punish the English is tempting, and it would be only too easy to do so. But I would urge my fellow Europeans to reflect on themselves and keep in mind that at the heart the European Union is a peace project, and like with the death penalty, we as a society should have evolved beyond this.

Member states should not stay in the EU from fear of leaving but rather voluntarily because of the benefits. However, as others pointed out, it would also be foolish to create incentives for leaving the union by rewarding the ones who do. A thin line needs to be found here.

While possibilities are being discussed, I would like to remind you that not only Scotland and Northern Ireland, but also the majority of under 35 year old voted overwhelmingly to remain. They, and the generation following them, are the ones suffering most by this decision. If anything we should show compassion and solidarity with them, not aggravation. Reassuring them that we will not forget about them, and keep the door unlocked. But that generation conflict within the country is something they will need to address themselves. The challenges ahead of them are hard enough as they are, we really don’t need to make it any worse for them.

But what for?

The committee said the EU had helped to transform Europe “from a continent of war to a continent of peace”. And the President of the European Council at the time, Herman Van Rompuy, said that the award recognised the European Union as the “biggest peacemaker in history.”

To some this might seem strange in a contemporary context where the EU is mainly associated with free trade. But at its core it has always been a piece project. And with that in mind, it might seem a bit more understandable that any compromise on free movements is totally unacceptable.