José M. de Areilza: European Union needs new motivation to avoid breakup

 
Sept. 22, 2014 - PRLog -- The European Union must find new motivation for development and begin the movement towards a united and democratic Union, to avoid stagnation and breakup, says José M. de Areilza, Professor of Law & Jean Monnet Chair at ESADE and Senior Research Fellow at Elcano Royal Institute, in his article titled “A tale of two cities: the next European Utopia” that was published in the foreign media.

From the analyst’s point of view, the European project formed in outstanding atmosphere that was completely unlike the present times.

“The initial steps were taken under exceptional circumstances in the wake of World War II and under the threat of a new world war, a context that strongly moulded the European project,” he writes.

According to the author, the ideal in the core of the project was worded in the most detailed way by Jean Monnet, a famous French politician, during the talks with high-ranked US officials in 1955, after the Action Committee for the United States of Europe was created.

“Monnet was sincere and pragmatic: what concerned him at the time was to ensure peace through a new economic interdependence based on shared prosperity,” José M. de Areilza stresses.

He also notes that the path towards the utopia was completely not without obstacles and troubles. “The European founding fathers” had to overcome the resistance of several states, particularly France, for common good, push the countries in the region towards combining their human and material resources for solving problems too big for each of them alone, and all this had to be done during the Cold War between the two major powers – the US and the USSR.

However, according to the expert, at present the project of the United Europe can be considered an uncontested success.

“Almost 60 years after the talks in Paris between Monnet and his American friends, the achievements of integration are such that none can doubt that it has been a historic success. The Utopia formulated by Monnet’s generation was far beyond expectations,” José M. de Areilza thinks, adding that the path towards it was still much more perilous than they cound have guessed in the middle of the 20th century.

From his point of view, former enemies could reconcile and save themselves from death and oblivion exactly because they found common trade and political interests under the banner of the united Europe, setting aside their national differences.

However, according to the expert, the people of the 21st century began taking the united Europe for granted, which resulted in the EU losing its motivation.

“The Union was a victim of its own success: weary and on the defensive, it was unable to find the resources with which to reinvent itself as a project and to re-launch integration on a new basis in the pursuit of a worthy Utopia,” José M. de Areilza states.

From his point of view, the proof of the European Union losing the previous vigor can be seen in several projects of the 21st century, such as expansion in 2004 in 2007 that only caused fear and distrust.

According to the expert, numerous failures of the European policy-makers can also be explained by the fact that the ‘political messianism’ strategy formed during the early EU years became fruitless and ineffective.

“In an exceptional situation such as that faced by post-War Europe, it was the road to the Promised Land. The European dream generated an idealism and the feeling of an epic feat among certain governmental elites. Once the first city had been reached, messianism was no longer the way forward,” he explained.

According to the author, in the current situation the European leaders must stop following the obsolete strategy formed in the very early days of the EU and transform the European political society to make it more attractive for the citizens.

“The challenge is no longer to make nation-states become members states of a Union, rather it is to establish and flesh out the role of the new European power – legitimate, limited and effective,” José M. de Areilza stresses.

In his opinion, the European idea of the 21st century must be based on three main axioms. First, the European institutions must be compatible with the national democracies. Second, the authorities and the lawmaking process must be democratized. Third, the European Union must become a single powerful global player.

According to the expert, the first point requires understanding which policies must be solved in the Brussels, and which must be dealt with by the governments. Moreover, he recommends introducing the mechanisms for giving certain policies back to the national authorities.

“Only the implementation of a model of ‘equilibrium of enumerated powers’ would ensure that the stress between centre and periphery would be beneficial to both levels of government,” he writes.

At the same time, the analyst highlights the fact that these changes will require active participation in choosing their future from each and every European state, and no single EU member should avoid the duties imposed on it.

“If we want a new Europeanism to take root, it is also essential for member states to contribute to foster integration, going beyond the defense of their short-term interests,” the author stresses.

Discussing the EU democratization process, he points out the great present need to apply several deep structural reforms and expand the pan-European representation of the EU citizens in the decision-making bodies.

“Brussels’ institutions must govern in a more visible and public way, and not just formulate policies. The objective should be to improve the quality of democratic debate in Europe, with greater transparency, intelligibility,” the expert writes.

At the same time, he points out that no democracy can exist without its demos, and therefore the creators of the new ideal will have to ensure that each European citizen feels that he belongs to a united Europe.

“No political reform would be complete without reinforcing the status of the Union’s citizens, so that members of European society share a series of substantive rights and duties,” the analyst explains.

In his opinion, this process can be promoted by means of a special system of volunteer works, through which every European citizen will be able to work in one team with people from other EU states.

According to the expert, volunteer work will instill a sense of duty and engagement in a big task in the minds of the new generation, which will make the EU member-states closer, weaken the sovereignty hawks and further the integration process.

Full text news agency "PenzaNews": http://penzanews.ru/en/opinion/56417-2014
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