Europe’s Lost Charm and how to Regain Confidence

Abstract

At the peak of its achievements the EU started to decline. Overambitious integration plans, the ‘big enlargement’ and changing external conditions have eroded its efficiency. The tensions are rooted in the complexity of the integration structure, in the ‘democratic deficit’ and in obvious weaknesses of EU foreign policy. To regain confidence, these problems should be handled in a new and innovative way. The year 2019 was particularly appropriate for action because of the timely coincidence of the EU institutions’ renewal in conjunction with the launch of the long term budget. Fewer actors in fewer sectors could achieve more integration by ‘hard core’ methods. EU institutions should undergo a strong ‘slimming diet’. Voting for individual EP candidates on party lists should become possible by 2024. The office terms of the EP and the EC should be shortened. The EU budget should shift its emphasis to ‘blended financing’ combined with bank loans and reimbursable grants and be based on strict conditionality. The EU should proclaim a clear and aggressive neighborhood and enlargement program for the next legislative period. Finally, EU foreign policy should concentrate on the most important issues and partners with meaningful mandates and strong support from member states.