Once more the European Council decides not to decide.

How long can Europe survive this never-ending impasse?

UEF Statement on the conclusions of the European Council meeting of 28 June 2018

Brussels, 2nd July 2018

In the struggle for finding a common solution to the migration crisis and enhancing border protection, once more the European Council has failed to deploy the political will and motivation to advance EU legislation in this matter. Though there has been progress in fields like fighting root causes in crisis-torn states and human trafficking, several member states of the Union still refuse to take responsibility and stand up for shared European solidarity. This state of play is quite shameful with regard to European Union governance.

On the Eurozone, then, there was a deadly silence…

Once more, thus, the heads of state and governments have been able only to decide, unanimously, not to decide…

“This European Union must become stronger before it is too late” comments Elmar Brok, President of the Union of the European Federalists. “More and more nationalists and populists are holding Europe hostage. The EU needs a leap forward, its governance must be strengthened by creating a genuine political union. This is the only solution, if we want Europe to be able to act effectively, and be closer to citizens.”

“This is also the reason why a reform of the Eurozone is so important” adds Brok. “In order to complete the EMU (Economic and Monetary Union) and make it more resilient and attractive, economic and political union is urgently needed. The Single Market at 27 can be deepened and improved, but it works quite well; it is when we have to deal with questions such as economic policies, or migration, or foreign and security policies, that Europe needs to become stronger and more united. The only way to begin strengthening the EU politically, is to start from the EMU framework.”

With the Meseberg declaration France and Germany have began showing the way. But more and concrete proposals are now necessary. On the occasion of the next European elections, parties supporting European unity must share a strong European political project: ranging from the Eurozone economic and political reform, to the changes necessary to make cooperation at European level much more effective in fields like migration or foreign and security policy.

“If we want to stop nationalism and populism, we must oppose them a strong European vision. Time is now, or it could be too late”, concludes Brok.

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