[1] In his speech at the Humboldt University in Berlin, 12 May 2000, Joschka Fischer described the expansion of “reinforced cooperation” as a necessary first stage to Europe's further development. He pointed out that, with the tool of closer cooperation, those states desiring to cooperate more closely than other member states of the European Union could make progress in many areas like environmental protection, the fight against crime, the development of common immigration and asylum policies and on foreign and security policy. As a model for a successful “reinforced cooperation” he mentioned the Economic and Monetary Union and Schengen. Although he did not want the closer cooperation to be misunderstood as the end of integration and consequently the preliminary stage to a divided Union, he further underscored the concept by proclaiming that this step would constitute the formation of a “center of gravity.” Such a group of states should conclude a new European framework treaty, would develop their own institutions and establish a government that speaks with one voice within the European Union. This proclaimed “center of gravity” should be the avant-garde, some kind of driving force for the completion of political integration.