‘What was started here in the relatively small space of the Economic Union of the Netherlands and Belgian–Luxembourg showed him the way for his future strivings […]. He did not allow himself to be discouraged, always found comrades-in-arms, and obtained that matter of fact decision at the Messina Conference which gave him the opportunity […] to apply his unyielding will to the unimaginable detail work necessary for the success of this striving; which did achieve its crowning moment (… with the Roman Treaties).’