The President of Romania, Traian Basescu, awarded the National Order of Merit with the rank of Commander to the President of the Real Academia de Ciencias Económicas y Financieras of Spain (RACEF) Jaime Gil Aluja for the support for the introduction of a new economic thought in the country and his studies for easing the incorporation of Romania into the European Union, and to academician José Casajuana Gibert for his work in the organisation of the International Seminar “Penser l’Europe” which the RACEF and the Romanian Academy organise in Bucharest with the French Institute, the French Institute of International Relations and the Royal Academy of French Language and Literatures of Belgium.

Basescu highlighted the contribution of the Seminar, which year held its tenth edition, in the political union of Europe and the fight against inequalities brought about by the globalised economy. “I am convinced that, sooner or later, we will constitute the United States of Europe, assured the President in his speech. And as is stated in the Seminar, it will be together that we will be better able to fight against the harmful effects of globalisation”.