The European Union was brought into existence step-by-step by putting the cart before the horse: setting limited but politically attainable targets and timetables, knowing full well that they would not be sufficient, and thus that further steps would be required in due course.
Et l’Union européenne a vu le jour pas à pas, en mettant la charrue avant les bœufs. Le calendrier et les objectifs fixés étaient limités, mais réalisables sur le plan politique.