Summary: Europe’s Challenges
Werner Weidenfeld
The European Union has become the greatest domestic market in the world, on the one hand due to its latest expansion to 25 members, and on the other hand because of the integration’s intensification. In addition to that it has joined up to a political and security political area. In spite of these apparent powers, however, the Europeans fail to show their existing potential to its best advantage efficiently, four central challenges requiring solutions.
The European constitution has been designed to assist Europe in avoiding getting into a crisis of legitimation sooner or later. It gives politics character by creating institutions and, by applying an open method of coordination in relevant areas such as not only social, economical, research, technological and industrial politics, but also public health services, cultural affairs, tourism, education, youth, sports, and disaster procedures, follows a modern approach which renders possible the connection of decentralisation and integration. Complex integration will be even more momentous for Europe’s political architecture. Still the constitution will have to be ratified, though, and great efforts will have to be made in order to bring this process to an end successfully.
The second big challenge is the "completion” of the expansion, which must not end with Romania, Bulgaria, and possibly Croatia, in the course of the next round. The European Union has to open up perspectives to the remaining Balkan nations and ought to have open negotiations with Turkey concerning its membership. Only when the European Union has gained more than thirty members it will be possible to talk about completion of the expansion, but it will take long and laborious efforts to arrive there. In this context it is essential to overcome a new political, cultural and economical heterogeneity with hitherto unknown extent.
The third big challenge is greater Europe’s finance and economy constitution, though it should be noted that even today crumblings between the commission and the net provider nations begin to emerge. The European Union will not be able to fulfil its own guideline of becoming the world’s most dynamic and competitive economic area; nevertheless it should not give up this aim. Ambitious guidelines are necessary, though they should not arouse unrealistic expectations in the citizens.
The fourth challenge is Europe’s share of the responsibility in terms of world politics which results from its mere economical strength. In this context it will be important to develop common European foreign, domestic and defence politics, and also to reduce the deficiencies concerning strategic thought. The European Union has chosen the correct path by applying its security strategy and has established Europe as an important player within international relationships. Thus, a self-confident Europe is the most valuable partner within a trans-Atlantic security structure, too.
Concerning its home affairs the European Union will have to achieve a higher degree of leadership readiness, as in future the traditional leadership stimulus of the German-French pair will not be sufficient. In this context one must not mix up political leadership with the establishment of a solid core Europe. Complex integration ought to be regarded as an opportunity which might enable the European Union to deal with the future requirements in a modern, active and effective way.
Ihre Meinung/your opinion/votre opinion:
