Avenues for unity for the EU at 27
"Now is the time to reflect with pride on our achievements and to remind ourselves of the values that bind us together. But Rome must also be the start of a new chapter. There are important challenges ahead of us, for our security, for the well-being of our people, for the role that Europe will need to play in an increasingly multipolar world. A united Europe at 27 needs to shape its own destiny and carve out a vision for its future. This White Paper is the European Commission's contribution to this new chapter of the European project," writes Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, in the foreword of the document.
The Commission's White Paper maps out the drivers of change and sets out the main challenges and opportunities for Europe in the coming decade. It also presents five scenarios for how Europe could evolve by 2025. Being illustrative in nature, they will help steer a debate on the future of Europe. The starting point for each scenario is that the 27 Member States move forward together as a Union.
Those scenarios include:
Scenario 1: Carrying On - The EU27 focuses on delivering its positive reform agenda in the spirit of the Commission's New Start for Europe from 2014 and of the Bratislava Declaration agreed by all 27 Member States in 2016.
Scenario 2: Nothing but the Single Market – The EU27 is gradually re-centred on the single market as the 27 Member States are not able to find common ground on an increasing number of policy areas.
Scenario 3: Those Who Want More Do More – The EU27 proceeds as today but allows willing Member States to do more together in specific areas such as defence, internal security or social matters. One or several "coalitions of the willing" emerge.
Scenario 4: Doing Less More Efficiently - The EU27 focuses on delivering more and faster in selected policy areas, while doing less where it is perceived not to have an added value. Attention and limited resources are focused on selected policy areas.
Scenario 5: Doing Much More Together – Member States decide to share more power, resources and decision-making across the board. Decisions are agreed faster at European level and rapidly enforced.
"I am not going to tell you my absolute preference today because at the end of the day, these are not choices for me alone – unfortunately – or for the Commission to take in 'splendid isolation'... The floor has to be given to this Parliament, national parliaments, governments, civil society – in brief, citizens," said Jean-Claude Juncker presenting the White Paper to the European Parliament.
Next steps
The White Paper is the European's Commission contribution to the Rome Summit, the moment when the Member States heads of states or governments of the EU will discuss its achievements of the past 60 years but also its future at 27.
The European Commission, together with the European Parliament and interested Member States, will host a series of 'Future of Europe Debates' across Europe's cities and regions.
President Juncker's State of the Union speech in September 2017 will take these ideas forward before first conclusions could be drawn at the December 2017 European Council. This will help to decide on a course of action to be rolled out in time for the European Parliament elections in June 2019.
More information:
The White Paper on the future of Europe: Avenues for unity for the EU at 27