The European Union must undergo major reforms now to be ready to cope with having 30-36 members in the future, Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday.
He said that the bloc should also eliminate the need for unanimity in its decisions-making process. This is a practice that has allowed single countries to veto crucial collective decisions.
Scholz stated Monday that the centre of Europe is moving eastwards. He made this statement in a broad speech at Prague’s Charles University.
He said that the union will be more divided than ever because of differences in political interests, economic clout, social security systems, and political clout. “Ukraine isn’t Luxembourg, and Portugal views the challenges of the world differently than North Macedonia.”
Scholz asked the EU to “take its promises seriously” regarding enlargement and implement institutional reforms to adapt to itself “now”. The eventual arrivalnew member countries, such as Ukraine and Moldova, Georgia, or countries in the Western Balkans.
The accession process to the EU has been halted since the 2013 entry of Croatia, the last country to join it. This has led to bitter complaints from candidate states, who are now in an enlargement limbo.
The Chancellor suggested that a “gradual” transition from unanimity, which is a strict requirement, be one of the reforms. That is still the caseto focus on a few areas of work, like taxation and foreign policy, which often slows down collective action at EU level.
However, unanimity supporters argue that the system allows smaller EU states to ensure that their points of view can be heard and respected.
Scholz said that swearing allegiance is only possible if there is low pressure to act, but acknowledged that “every nation must be listened too”.
Scholz suggested that sanctions and human right could be two starting points for the bloc’s transition from unanimity into a consensus. Qualified majority.
The chancellor also suggested that the European Parliament’s seat allocation system be reviewed to avoid the hemicycle becoming too full with new states.
Scholz suggested that the European Commission’s long-standing rule of “one nation, one commissioner” be preserved, but with a different arrangement among portfolios, including two commissioners assigned for the same area.
“Let’s seek such compromises – for a Europe that works!” he declared.
“We do need a plan”
Scholz spoke in detail about the tectonic changes that Russia’s invasion into Ukraine has brought on and the many pressing challenges facing the EU.
“Right now, we’re asking ourselves once again where the dividing line will run between this free Europe and a neo-imperialist autocracy in the future,” he said.
The chancellor called for greater European sovereignty in all areas, including energy, rare mineral semiconductors, data movement, broadband Internet and space. He also emphasized the need to have the green technology required to achieve climate neutrality before 2050.
“Economic independence doesn’t mean self-sufficiency. This is not the goal of a Europe which has always benefited, as well as continues to benefit from, open markets and international trade,” he stated.
“But we do need a game plan– something like a Made in Europe 2030 strategy.”
Scholz also called for a “coordinated expansion” of Europe’s defense capabilities. Member states should work closer on manufacturing, procurement, military missions, and other areas.
He supported a plan to create an EU rapid response force of 5,000 troops by 2020, which would allow the bloc more speed in responding to international crises.
Since the Ukraine war broke out, Scholz has unveiled ambitious plans to transform Germany’s military policy, injecting an extra €100 billion into the under-resourced national army.
“We must keep our ranks close”
Scholz stated that the EU must “close ranks and find solutions to its most divisive issues, migration and fiscal policy, in opposition to the rise of “autocrats” all over the globe.
“We need immigration. “We are seeing in our hospitals, in our airports and in many businesses that there is a shortage in skilled labour all over the country,” he stated.
According to the chancellor, the EU has exhausted the existing system that provides ad hoc responses whenever a crisis arises. He suggested that the bloc should instead Come up with a new policyTo facilitate legal migration, to reduce irregular entries, and to offer asylum to those “in need of protection.”
Scholz called for the expansion of the Schengen region and supported the applications of Croatian, Romanian, and Bulgaria who are still on the waiting lists to join the passport-free club.
“Croatia (Romania), Romania (and Bulgaria) meet all technical requirements to become full members. He promised that he would work to make them full members.
On fiscal policy, the chancellor described the COVID-19 pandemic as a turning point, when “ideology gave way to pragmatism” with the creation of the EU-wide €750-billion recovery fund.
Member states Are currently being debatedThe reform of the EU fiscal rules was halted to deal with the consequences of the pandemic. These rules are intended to ensure that all countries maintain a deficit below 3% and a debt level below 60% of GDP. This is a limit that many countries now exceed by disproportionate amounts.
Discussions center on the speed of debt reduction and possible exceptions.
“We want to talk about it openly with all our European partners – without prejudice, without lecturing, without blame games,” Scholz said.
Scholz criticized the EU’s inaction on the issue of rule of law and the rise “illiberal democracy”.
“We shouldn’t be afraid to use all the tools at our disposal to rectify failings,” he stated, suggesting that the European Commission should be given new tools to curb wrongdoing in member states.
“I would prefer that arguments about the rule-of-law do not go all the way through the courts.” Open dialogue at the political level is what we most need, in addition to all the sanctions and procedures.
At the end of his speech, the Chancellor repeated his calls for profound and ambitious reform to deal with the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“When, if not now – as Russia tries to shift the line between freedom and autocracy – will we lay the cornerstones of an enlarged union of freedom, security and democracy?” Scholz addressed the audience.
“Europe is the future.” That future is in our control.
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