The present study aims at a definition of "European consciousness". In particular, it draws on Henri Tajfel's theory of social identity as well as Roland Wakenhut's and Jutta Gallenmuller's moral determination of national consciousness. European consciousness is then defined as a sense of belonging which, depending on certain identification structures and social perspectives, can take such distinct forms of moral consciousness as "Eurocentrism", "European patriotism", or "reflective European consciousness". Making reference to Wolfgang Klafki's notion of general education, it is finally argued that the emancipatory contribution of schooling to greater European integration consists in mediating precisely this last way of thinking.