The risk is that Europe will become steadily poorer, lose its internal cohesion, and be marginalised in a rapidly changing world. To avoid these dangers it is absolutely vital that Europe concentrates on the essential issues, simplifies its methods, and sets up a properly financed system of economic management with which it can play a major part in defining the new world economic order.
With so much now at stake, UEF Belgium appeals to the Belgian Presidency to set in motion an urgent debate and consultations that will lead to realising the historical goal of a United States of Europe.
Such a debate must involve the European and all national parliaments, the Commission and the Council, as well as civil society. It should lead to a new and simpler political structure, with a federal “hard core” based on the Euro-zone, and carrying the main responsibility for key policy areas: including economic and monetary affairs, taxation and budgets, research and innovation, energy, environment and large-scale infrastructures, as well as security, defence and foreign policy. But member states should retain authority over other policy areas, keeping control over local and national issues and preserving the essential diversity of modern Europe.
To manage its special responsibilities, to cope with the external dangers and to bring new dynamism to the European economy, the “hard core” should have its own financial resources, equivalent to at least 5% of GDP. It should also have powers to borrow in order to pay for investments in basic infrastructure projects, in economic restructuring, and in measures to raise Europe’s international competitiveness.
In this connection UEF Belgium welcomes the creation of the Spinelli Group by many leading political figures. They also are aiming to give the Union a structure capable of meeting these challenges of the modern world. UEF Belgium offers the Group its full support for this vitally important work.
Presented at the UEF-Belgium General Assembly, 25 September 2010
28 September, 2010
UEF Belgium: Call for the United States of Europe
The Treaty of Lisbon, which came into force on 1 December 2009, increased the powers of the European Parliament in many respects. The rule of unanimity was largely suspended, to simplify the business of government, but it was maintained in certain sensitive areas, including finance, budgets, and future institutional change, which will make it difficult to agree and implement common strategies for dealing with the crisis. So, in spite of the improvements brought by Lisbon, Europe is still stuck with complicated decision-making procedures which will not allow it to deal effectively with the challenges of the modern world.
