Skip to content
  • BLOGS
  • MAGAZINE
  • JOURNALS
Menu
  • BLOGS
  • MAGAZINE
  • JOURNALS
  • BLOGS
  • MAGAZINE
  • JOURNALS
Menu
  • BLOGS
  • MAGAZINE
  • JOURNALS
Taraczközi Anna

High Hopes for Research as Denmark Takes Over EU Council Presidency

Denmark can help secure the scientific foundation for a competitive, secure and sustainable Europe.

Taraczközi Anna 2025.06.27.
Máthé Réka Zsuzsánna

BRICS+ countries speed up the new agricultural trade platform

The new platform would support regional trade and offer improved opportunities for small-scale farms.

Máthé Réka Zsuzsánna 2025.06.04.
Taraczközi Anna

Navigating the Transatlantic Trade Tightrope: An EU Perspective

Meanwhile, Republican voices have also been divided.

Taraczközi Anna 2025.06.02.
Taraczközi Anna

EU’s 26-Measure Plan

A New Dawn for European Startups and Scaleups?

Taraczközi Anna 2025.05.30.
Shakhodat Khoshimova

Role of Hungary in the European policy of Uzbekistan

In recent years, Uzbekistan has intensified its foreign policy efforts.

Shakhodat Khoshimova 2025.05.19.
The Daily European
Miszlivetz Áron
Miszlivetz Áron
kutató, NKE Európa Stratégia Kutatóintézet
  • 2023.09.25.
  • 2023.09.25.

Reforms for a new Europe: A revival of the Franco-German tandem?

While the recent report of the European Investment Bank places a gloomy look for Europe’s economy due to the consequences of the crisis in Ukraine, new momentum has gained for a renewed dialogue for an expanded European Union. Written by French and German experts, the two countries’ governments are willing to create a new debate for a post-war Europe. But will it be feasible and let alone successful?

Many European politicians have been intrigued by the idea on how Europe will look like by 2030 and how the EU would be functioning with over 30 member states. While Macron called on a “multi-speed Europe” while Scholz has called upon instigation EU institutional reforms, by speeding up decision-making in the Council, where enlargement will not be the ultimate reason for reform, but serve as a point of reference. The Group of Twelve envisages a multi-layer EU, with four distinct circles defining what benefits and responsibilities member states, EFTA members, candidate and non-candidate countries will receive.

The European Political Community 2.0 will serve as the outmost layer of European integration, focusing on geopolitical convergence and bilateral agreements with the EU. Here, countries have the freedom but not the responsibility to align their economic and political interests with or without the EU. This can be beneficial when creating free trade agreements and tariff-free economic zones for maintaining the global economy. Next to this, what the experts call “associate membership” is similar to the EU-UK relationship, while not being determined by an “ever closer union” to which Prime Minister Cameron didn’t want his country to be determined by. 

These two layers – open to any European country – envisage a possible step towards EU membership but is not a requirement for cooperation. Interestingly they also mention a “guest status” which can be open to countries in the Mediterranean and the Southern Neighborhood. 

The inner circle if further defined as being full EU members and a core group of the coalition of the willing, such as members of the Eurozone. In addition, the Treaties enable enhanced cooperation with a minimum of 9 member states setting up advanced integration in a specific field. This can be a form of the European Defense Union. An EU with over 30 members will have a very different political power dynamic than that of today. A shift to Central Eastern Europe towards candidate countries will change the priorities, the economy, and ways of cooperating on various policy levels. New ideas never fall short of trying to reform the old continent. Making EU institutions ready for an enlarged membership is necessary, the question is who and in what sense will lose or gain decision-making power and influence over policies. Maintaining the current 751 seats of the European Parliament seems fair, however a Presidency quintet taking up half an institutional cycle is a different story. Speeding up the decision-making process by introducing qualified majority will be a sour-pill for new and small member states, which can have the side-effect of weakening their voice. 

The European Union can be defined as a process constantly in flux and change. It will never arrive at a finishing point, but will be shaped by all its members, its citizens, and institutions. The Franco-German paper, while having a uniquely Western perspective, is only one of the many ideas circulating today. While the European Union is trying to find answers to maintain peace and security, which seems ever more distant for the future. 

Photo: euractiv.com

Témakörök: European Union, tandem
nke-cimer

LUDOVIKA.hu

KAPCSOLAT

1083 Budapest, Ludovika tér 2.
E-mail:
Kéziratokkal, könyv- és folyóirat-kiadással kapcsolatos ügyek: kiadvanyok@uni-nke.hu
Blogokkal és a magazinnal kapcsolatos ügyek: szerkesztoseg@uni-nke.hu

IMPRESSZUM

Ez a weboldal sütiket használ. Ha Ön ezzel egyetért, kérjük fogadja el az adatkezelési szabályzatunkat. Süti beállításokElfogad
Adatvédemi és süti beállítások

Adatvédelmi áttekintés

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT