New Models for Europe’s Future

Michael Thöne, Helena Kreuter

Vision Europe / May 2020 / Paper 2, Bertelsmann (publ.)

Abstract
"Europe as we know it is too weak, too slow, too inefficient." Emmanuel Macron's succinct verdict of 2017 is still valid at the beginning of the new Twenties – and it is particularly relevant in the context of the slow joint EU response to the current corona crisis. The corona crisis exemplifies a general lack of capacity to act of the European Union – both internally and externally. In terms of foreign policy, the European Union finds itself in a world in which it must be stronger and more sovereign if it wants to maintain a place in the global order that reflects its economic and cultural self-understanding as well as its ethical stand-ards. Moreover, Europe is also in a weaker position internally. The formula of the "ever closer union" has always been more idealistic than the heterogeneous European reality. However, where in the past there was primarily resistance to further integration, today we observe real dissociation moves away from Eu-ropean unity.
Europe needs to change in order to persist in a changing world. Europe must become stronger internally in order to be strong externally. The premise of this paper and the underlying project "A strong Europe in a globalised world" is that this calls for a broad and honest discussion on future models for Europe. The current global public health crisis is one of several policy areas where the EU needs to become more effective. In the face of a crisis, however, the EU's other challenges should not be neglected, but should be approached with greater energy: Even though much attention is being paid to acute crisis manage-ment, the other problems have not diminished. On the contrary, a new and major problem has emerged. All future tasks for Europe - Corona in advance - must now be tackled without delay. The scoping paper is intended as a first step on this path. It illustrates the internal and external challenges, problems and crises that the common Europe must face.
The European Union in its present form is ill equipped to take on this task book. From an analysis of the past integration process, the common Europe emerges as a federal idea without a federal plan. Since the ideal has always been more popular than the practical ways to achieve it, actual European integration often proceeds very pragmatically and out of the situation, without following a "grand plan”. This situa-tional integration model has reached its limits. A new model for Europe's future must be able to strengthen the Union both internally and externally and deal more constructively with the existing dispar-ities between Member States. We formulate a number of test questions so as to gear the discussion of future models from the outset to the practical requirements of the coming Europe and outline a solution space. On this basis, we offer then a brief overview of the most important models currently under debate.
The scoping paper paves the way for upcoming discussion. It does not claim to present already answers or a completely new model. This will be the task of the ongoing process. However, the focus of the latter cannot be limited to structural issues. At the same time, the policies of the European Union need to be re-examined. The joint consideration of "European public goods" and of future models corresponds to the duality of function and form. In the solution space for European future models, form and function must always be viewed together.
The paper concludes with a plea to consider not only "full" future models. It will be at least as important to reflect on individual and partial proposals (e.g. Eurozone budget, EU army, European climate bank). The debate on the future of Europe will be stronger and closer to the reality of reform if it takes a prag-matic approach whenever opportunities arise and the need is greatest. Whether giant leaps or small steps, all that matters is that it goes ahead. What matters is that more and more people come together and move forward for a Europe renewed in its traditional strengths and for its new challenges. This is the path taken by the project "A strong Europe in a globalised world."