A Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) panel dedicated to the EU dubbed European Union: What Keeps us United looked at what keeps the Union together. Panelists offered various diagnoses, with some arguing for an interest-based union and others highlighting values and norms.
The moderator, Ms Shada Islam, Director for Europe and Geopolitics at Friends of Europe, Belgium, set the framework of the debate by saying that Europe faces stagnation an ethno-nationalism. It still inspires people, but the question is whether it still inspires within or “are we turning into a transactional union.”
Mr Konrad Szymański, Secretary of State for European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, spoke in favour of an interest-based EU arguing that the current conflict in Europe was not about values. “I do not believe in dichotomy between values and interests … What is more important is a community of interests, you cannot provide politics without interests,” he opined.
He said the good news was that “our substantial common interests,” such as welfare and security, were still alive and made for good reasons to remain together, but he warned that unity could flourish only as long as the institutions represent the interests of everyone in the same way. Mr Szymanski also noted that politics was about the “skillful management of differences.”
Mr Iztok Mirošič, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, advocated a policy of small steps rather than large-scale reforms because, he said, there are big divides in values as well as interests.
He expressed doubt as to whether the EU is ready for big steps, noting that big changes risked creating a multi-speed Europe. As for the uniting factor, he said that “the only things that are uniting us right now are the single market, Brexit negotiations and the fear of migrations.”
As for an interest-based approach, he noted that in that case some countries may start questioning policies such as cohesion. “Some countries will say our interest is not to put so much money,” according to him.
H.E. The Honourable Carmelo Abela, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion of the Republic of Malta, highlighted security challenges, an important issue for a country with sea borders that he pointed out was mid-way between North Africa and South Europe. “This is a challenge we need to tackle together. I’m not pointing fingers, but this is the reality … Instead of focusing on the political aspect, we need to talk about the operational aspect.”
Mr Abela also said the current discussion did not consider the holistic aspect of migration. “We need more workers and we are leaving out from the discussion whether we can make positive use of the potential of the people coming to us.”
Mr Matthew A. Palmer, Deputy Assistant Secretary at U.S. Department of State, meanwhile stressed norms as a major aspect that unites Europe, and a major feature of NATO, and these norms help countries that want to join the EU and NATO to undertake reforms.
He also stressed that there had always been tension in Transatlantic relations, “but for the foreseeable future that which unites us will continue to be more important than what divides us.” According to him, Transatlanticism and Western Balkans are areas of considerable overlap between the interests of the EU and US.
Ms Anna Clunes, Director for Institutions & Member States in the UK Department for Exiting the European Union, was quizzed about Brexit. She rejected the idea that the UK was turning its back on Europe, arguing instead that it sought a new partnership that would be “strong, close and unprecedented in breadth and depth.”
She indicated that what the UK sought in particular was a strong security and economic relationship, but she disagreed with the notion that the UK is undermining the EU’s single market. On the contrary, she said, it is in the UK’s interest that the EU continues to be a strong and effective market.
Ambassador George Ciamba, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Bilateral and Strategic Affairs within the Euro-Atlantic Area at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, stressed the importance of continued enlargement as he pointed out that the EU is too hung up on pessimism to notice all the good things that are happening.
Mr Tobias Flessenkemper, Senior Fellow & Balkans Project Directorat Centre International de Formation Européenne (CIFE) in Germany, meanwhile opined that the older generation, baby boomers, has failed to transmit to younger generations just how much has been achieved in Europe.
“We should never forget the historical experience which unites us, it crosses divided which are artificial. If we don’t cherish these historical experiences, we will really face problems,” he said.
Noting that the EU should not underestimate the quality leap it has achieved, Mr Flessenkemper also pointed out that nation states should not play the central role, as issues that cross national boundaries, for example women’s rights and minority rights, were at the core of the Union.
Prof Dr Ambassador Colette Mazzucelli, University Professor at New York University, meanwhile said norms are essential, but to bring those norms to the people is also an essential thing. She recalled at the time of the adoption of the Maastricht Treaty, during the “transition from community to union”, it was about values, while there were differences in interests and even back then the UK had a different approach.
Mr Pierre Heilbronn, Vice President Policy and Partnerships at European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, said one challenge was to overcome the tendency for inward looking, which prevents us from looking at the trends we have to deal with outside.