Expansion Appears Skewed Strategy
In recent discussions, Sylvie Goulard, a former assistant to Romano Prodi and a MEP for eight years, has emphasized the importance of comprehensive reforms within European institutions. She has drawn parallels with Mario Draghi, who has also been engaged in shaping EU competitiveness and institutional reform agendas.
Goulard's book, titled "Great to Die. How to Avoid the Explosion of Europe", discusses the potential extension of the European Union to countries like Ukraine or Turkey. She argues that a radical redesign of the rules of governance of the European institutions is necessary for any expansion to occur.
The European Union, currently composed of 27 countries, has expanded over time. However, the progress towards guaranteeing peace to three generations and transforming former armed enemies into brothers is still incomplete. Goulard warns that an incomplete understanding among European peoples and incomplete cooperations will limit Europe's role in a dangerous world.
Romano Prodi has emphasized Europe's almost nonexistence in the sector of defense. He notes that the military spending of the 27 separate European armies equals that of powerful China. A cultural dissociation within Europe necessitates the development of a true project of common defense.
The operation of further enlargement is hindered by a mix of equivocal will and hypocrisy, entrusted to the very long times of the procedures for accession to the EU. The heads of state and government have decided to open the doors of the EU to Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia) on December 14 and 15, 2023.
However, the grand project of "Europa XXL" (a potential expansion of the European Union) is conditioned by the neo-imperial and nationalist suggestions of Russia, China, the United States, and Turkey. If the rules of governance are not redesigned, the European Union risks becoming ungovernable, structurally weakened, and progressively irrelevant in the geopolitical chessboard.
Goulard warns that the leaders of the founding states of the Union have not prioritized reforms, creating a historical schizophrenia. She argues that Europe's further enlargement relies on the rhetoric of belonging to the "great European family," often masking historical complexities and cultural differences.
In conclusion, the discussions on the expansion and reform of the European Union are crucial for its future role in the global arena. The need for a radical redesign of the rules of governance and a true project of common defense cannot be overstated. The potential expansion risks making Europe ungovernable, structurally weakened, and progressively irrelevant if these issues are not addressed.
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