The EU closes the year 2017 with several strong accents. Among them, the launch of PESCO and triggering Article 7 (TEU) against Poland. This, paired with thevisions for the future of the EU presented by Jean-Claude Juncker and Emmanuel Macron may be a proof that the EU regains its strength.
After the unsuccessful initiatives from within the ranks of the Belgian Flemish and the Scottish referendum, comes a strike pointed closely at the heart of the Union. Catalonia declared independence and Europe does not know what to do with this unexpected turn of events.
For Poland, introducing euro is, strategically, a very important step. The discussion (so far only theoretical) is conducted in two areas. First, a political debate is devoted to the direction of our integration. There is, however, a second debate – a strictly economic one.
People turn away from discussions concerning Europe. Islam on the contrary, represents a red fiery zone for European publics, provokes controversies and scandals, mobilizes collective passions, and gives voice and visibility to those who enter in that zone.
It might sound unrealistic with Eurosceptic populism on the rise but the only way to tackle lack of Union’s efficiency, both internally and externally, is to introduce more integration and coordination. In today’s globalised world, aiming for dissolution or weakening the Union is a key geopolitical threat to stability on the continent.
If we take a look back at how the integration process evolved, the ‘state of tension’ between the community (the EU) and intergovernmental methods has always been present. The establishment of the three Communities in the 1950s was a reflection of how the process relied on the community method: this is how the creation of the Community common market began.
A range of respected and expert panellists, from the spheres of politics, journalism, academia, diplomacy and business, met in Prague to assess the value of EU
