As to European identity, I dont think this is something you can really foster.  People have to "feel" european rather than just Italian, French, English, German on their own.  I think that would be very hard for most Europeans to do.  There are things that make Californians feel the same as New Jerseyans that make them identify themselves as European.  It is more than just geography.

What makes a European European, I think is the question that you need to answer?

Terry