One Europe: The Dream of Unity : Perspectives : Getting Together: The People Speak : GERMAN BUSINESSMAN

Christoph J. Schmidt-Krayer, 56, is president of Schmidt+Clemens GmbH+Co., a specialty steel producer employing 1,000 people in Lindlar, Germany, just east of Cologne.

” . . . We have to work very, very hard to stay competitive. But I think we can. From this point of view, I feel not only the German economy, but also our company, has the size and the capabilities to meet the challenge of the single market.

“It is a very different question whether the individual citizen will be able to adjust to this larger entity we call Europe. You must ask yourself if it is a governable entity we are creating . . . . Are there common ideas? I think there are very few. I express skepticism about the feasibility and the speed with which all this is happening . . . . The economic union is a very good target, but the political union should be developed more slowly. The pace is too fast.”