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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 1999;16:593-601
© 1999 Elsevier Science NL

Presidential address

Cardiothoracic surgery in Europe: politics, pressures and practice

Royal Infirmary, Department of Cardiac Surgery, 10 Alexandra Parade, Glasgow, Scotland G31 2ER, UK

Tel.: +44-141-211-4730; fax: +44-141-552-0987

	1. Introduction

 
Cardiothoracic surgery in Europe is an important part of medical practice and, in common with the rest of medicine, faces pressures arising from medical and scientific advances, as well as from political and social change. Our Association, by its nature, has important advantages over national societies, and has excellent potential for helping cardiothoracic surgeons to respond well to professional pressures and changes.

European political developments affect the lives of us all and also have an impact on our profession. Many of the ideals underlying European political change have parallels in our Association and offer the prospect of great benefit for cardiothoracic surgery.

Europe is characterised by remarkable diversity. The continent encompasses a wide range of landscapes and climate, nationalities and cultures, economies and political structures. Much of Europe's turbulent history of conflict has been shaped by this diversity, but so, too, has its intellectual and cultural legacy. Music, art, literature, science and medicine have all flourished in Europe since the Renaissance, often at times of great political and social upheaval, and always with contributions from a wide variety of cultures and individuals.

In the second half of this century we have witnessed considerable progress in European economic and political integration. The European Coal and Steel Community, which came into existence in 1952, put the two most economically and strategically vital industries of the time, of France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg under a single authority. With security concerns devolved to NATO, and political conformity enforced by the cold war, economic recovery flourished and European integration progressed.

In 1957 the Treaty of Rome established the European Economic Community and allowed creation of a common market with abolition of internal tariffs. In 1991 the Maastricht Treaty brought the European Union into existence. Though post cold war re-emergent nationalism, political . . . [Full Text of this Article]