Based on in-depth interviews and document analysis, this article examines the relationships between cultural identification and the process of European integration. It shows that French and Spanish people's cultural attachments to Europe as a common social organization is still very limited and reflects a concern for the defense of a national identity. This research contributes to our understanding of the European integration and to the theory of cultural identity by suggesting a dynamic paradigm that articulates the constitution of a formal organization with the process of cultural identity formation.