Graf von Faber-Castell and the EU Constitution

25 heads of state sign with German pens

The ceremonial ratification of the first European Constitution took place last Friday (29 October 2004) with Graf von Faber-Castell roller-ball pens. In the course of the half-hour ceremony, the head of each member state in turn picked up one of the aristocratic pens with barrels made of ribbed wood and platinized metal parts. The officiating president of the European Council, the Dutch prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende, had ordered a total of 50 of these pens from the local Graf von Faber-Castell representative, Akkerman in The Hague. Each one was engraved CONSTITUTIO EUROPAE SUBSCRIPTA EST PRAESIDENTIBUS BATAVIS, ROMAE, 29.10.2004 (The European Constitution was signed during the presidency of the Netherlands at Rome on 29/10/2004).

 The choice of Graf von Faber-Castell writing implements for this historic event was a source of pride for Faber-Castell. It was also a fitting memorial to Lothar von Faber, the fourth member of the dynasty to head the company. As privy councillor to the King of Bavaria he had written a memorandum in 1879 to propose the setting up of a European parliament „consisting of 108 of the best and noblest men of Europe, that shall create a secure legal foundation, in order that we may avoid future changes of frontier undertaken by force ..."

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