Written by Nikos Chircop
Seventy years on from the signing of the Declaration which gave life to the European Project, so much has been achieved. The road was not easy, but today in 2020 we are looking at a continent that has never experienced such a stretch of peace, such a continuous time of relative prosperity.
Facing up to crises
Yet, the European Union is riddled with major, quasi-existential crises that seem to just keep on coming. The Great Recession of 2008, which paved the way for the Eurozone crisis, and the crippling austerity that came with it, triggered resentment, especially in southern countries. These factors together enabling the rise of the populist far-right, a clear cry of disillusionment with the politics of the revolving door, which readily bails out corporations but seems to forget people.
All while Britain Brexits, Poland, and Hungary develop a new taste for the familiar flavour of authoritarianism, and as the already economically battered south deals with a seemingly never-ending migrant crisis almost alone. In summary, two words: solidarity deficit. A solidarity deficit of Northern countries towards the South, and between the citizens benefitting from the politics of neoliberal capitalism, towards those who have seen its sour face of cuts to social services, and evermore precarious employment.
Our welcome to the new decade? A pandemic. COVID-19 once again offering us a clear example of this two-pronged solidarity deficit. Italy, the country that was most in need received little aid. Meanwhile, this virus is proving to be anything but a ‘great equaliser’, as the marginalised are hit hardest. Migrants in camps being more likely to contract the virus, those already in precarious employment facing even tougher times.
EU needs reform
To be able to address the plethora of issues, the EU needs reform to face it. Do not be fooled, the root of this solidarity deficit is structural. Member states are ultimately sovereign states which seek their national interest first and foremost. Much like how in neoliberal capitalism, multinational corporations seek their shareholder’s interest, first and foremost. The way forward is not just ‘more Europe’. Simply fast-tracking integration without the needed structural reforms will not solve much at all.
The European Endeavour needs political vision, as much as it needs its world-class technocrats to execute it. Vision not only for what changes should be implemented but a vision for what the ultimate aims are. We have now achieved the Europe of peace and have, for the most part, forged a single European customs area and market. It is now time to finish the job by creating a robust Europe.
What is a robust Europe? It is one which can be a force to be reckoned with on the global stage, one which is truly democratic, and one which is progressive.
A Europe that is a force to be reckoned with
Europe needs to be taken seriously by the international community as a united force which is not dependent on any superpower for its own defence. For that reason, Europe needs its own military, border force, and coordinated foreign policy. This continent needs to have the military capabilities to defend itself not only in case of a real armed attack but also by being able to garner more caution and respect from third countries European diplomats liaise with. We have one common border, therefore rendering the interests of the Maltese sea border with Libya, and Finland’s border with Russia as much of a concern to those countries as they are to say Belgium.
We cannot remain with the situation of a disproportional burden being carried by countries that happen to have external borders, despite the coordination currently present through Frontex. This most especially with the ongoing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean. Naturally, coherent defense can only be backed by coherent foreign policy. For this reason, the European External Action Service should be empowered with the final say with regards to foreign policy matters affecting issues such as the military and border control.
A Europe of democracy
A Europe to be reckoned with is unjustifiable with the currently low level of direct democratic accountability of Europe’s executive. The institutions must, therefore, be reformed in such a way that the College of Commissioners is democratised. I believe that the College should be made up of elected MEPs which come from parties commanding a majority of the European Parliament. On top of that, European Parliament elections themselves must be held through a proportionally representative system such as the single transferable vote in all member states. This ensures that all voices are heard in a consistent and fair manner.
The social democracy of our age
Finally, a robust Europe must be a Progressive Europe, better known as Social Europe. This means that its domestic policy must be built on the foundations of modern twenty-first-century social democracy. A new movement focused on the implementation of three ambitious “New Deals”: A Green New Deal, An Economic New Deal, and A New Deal for Cyber-space.
A Green New Deal were the European Union, will not just become carbon neutral as soon as possible, but will cease to export any fossil fuels to third countries. The Oil multinationals based in Europe will no longer be able to buy off budding SMEs innovating in renewable energy alternatives. The rape of our planet stops here, as does flying to a location accessible by a three-hour-long train ride.
This leads us to the Economic New Deal, were massive investment will be placed in new companies willing to innovate in clean alternatives, that also have set standards of employee ownership and democracy. Europe cannot be truly democratic if its economy is to the mercy of shareholders with no interest in the common good, yet somehow sway more influence over the political systems than the people themselves. For this reason, the lobbying of political institutions, the revolving door between politics and big business, and the corporate funding of political movements will be put to an immediate halt, now and forever.
A new economy must be clean, and aimed towards the welfare of all, and not lunatic about unsustainable growth. For this reason, we must work towards bringing manufacturing back to Europe and stop this mad reality of the simplest of products needing to come from halfway across the world, polluting our seas and air. This economic new deal must include a continent-wide minimum standard of welfare that all member states must comply with. This means a minimum wage, a healthcare guarantee, and a minimum standard of social security, and finally, minimum educational requirements. All with the single aim of pushing for equal opportunities for all citizens of all member states. This is just the start of the struggle for a more socially just Union. We will also need to invest heavily in further connecting the continent by providing clean, affordable transport through high-speed rail, and looking into new innovations such as hyperloop, giving new meaning to freedom of movement.
The New Deal for Cyber-space must envision an internet that does not wish to generate cash out of users through abhorrent surveillance capitalism. This new deal will give clear guidelines that go beyond what there is today by setting the limits to which the state can monitor its citizens, in normal times, as well as in extraordinary times like the pandemic I am writing in. It will denounce the gross data harvesting of big-tech by making the current model of targeted advertising illegal and have a much heavier hand in regulating political advertising. Thus, ensuring that every candidate can have a voice, and that voice will be a single voice, not one which advertises conflicting opinions to different parts of the electorate or operates rouge accounts which do not clearly have their source labeled.
Last but not least, the European Union must lead the way for the international community to create an institution, which under the auspices of the UN, will be in charge of cyber-space. Running social media no longer as a business for the profit of a selected few, but as an impartial global service which connects all of humanity.
This is the next step for Europe, the next step for the “de facto Solidarity” which Robert Schuman wrote in his declaration today 70 years ago.
Happy Europe Day!
cover image: source