Multi-speed Europe is not a new thing when it comes
down to EU and it was existing way before the appearance of this name, or
before this opportunity was even constituted by the European judicial system.
But what’s the meaning behind multi-speed Europe?
Multi-speed Europe or two-speed Europe (called also "variable geometry
Europe" or "Core Europe", depending on the form it would take in
practice) is the idea that different parts of the European Union should integrate
at different levels and pace depending on the political situation in each
individual country. One of those forms is the Schengen agreement, signed on 14
June 1985, by five of the ten member states of the European Economic Community
at this time.
Schengen agreement became part of European judicial
system barely in 1999. This mechanism – cooperation outside of EU contracts is
one of the opportunities that European countries wanting stronger integration
stated that might use if they’re not allowed to work inside the frames of the
European Union. More up to date examples of similar cooperation are the package
of policies that were accepted as a result of the Greek government-debt crisis
– the banking union and the fiscal stability treaty.
Another form is the Eurozone. It has always been a
part of European Union’s judicial system – all European Union member countries
should join it, except for United Kingdom and Denmark. For its accession, there
are certain criteria that should be fulfilled, which in practice makes it unreachable
and beyond many countries’ economic level of development.
Other form is the so called enhanced cooperation
procedure. It has few modifications, but in general in this form of cooperation
minimum 9 countries could demand for join policy on certain area, in case of
classified majority acceptance by the other countries. The key moment in this
is that countries with 35% of EU’s population, that is to say Great Britain
with all eastern European countries and one more western European country,
could block this decision and vote. That’s why up-to-date there’re just three
enhanced cooperation procedures that were accepted and are currently applied.
With United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, all these
arithmetic’s equations will be transformed and this control package will be in
the hands of the other “big countries.
From present perspective, it seems ironical that the
term “Multi-speed Europe” was originated back in the time by the German kanzler
Willy Brandt, in terms of Great Britain joining the European communities at
this time. And now, when London will be finally out of the European Union,
those multi-speeds could take their own roads.
The proponents of such policy argue that it provides flexibility, while
also allowing the necessary integration to proceed. They argue that 28
countries making decisions unilaterally is almost impossible and any attempt to
further integrate the EU as a whole is doomed to fail. In the Luxemburgish
Prime Minister’s words, “I will not be a hostage of one or the other on
domestic policy issues.” All these considerations have merit and a multi-speed
Europe truly seems the best way forward.
However, we have to be aware of the danger included in such a project.
In particular, the multi-speed Europe includes the danger all of creating a
second class status for certain countries.
Then what about the developing countries in the
European Union? The differences between various European countries and regions
are still present today, despite all the convergence efforts of the European
Union. The first area where these
inequalities are evident is the economy. In particular the difference between
the GDP per capita of the richest EU
country (Luxembourg) and the poorest one (Bulgaria) is 76,000 euros. This standard of living also by arise
significantly by country, as 40% of Bulgaria’s population is at the risk of
social exclusion in contrast to 15% in the Czech Republic. The economic inequality of various EU
countries is demonstrated by many other measures, such as unemployment and
growth.
Added on the economic disparity, there is also
significant difference between the capacities of each country to implement
policy. These differences are correlated and affected by the country’s wealth
as poor countries tend to have weaker institutions. Many of these countries have widespread
corruption and weaker enforcement mechanisms. This means that the ability of
every EU country to implement reforms in order to converge upward varies, which
creates a self-reinforcing vicious cycle of poverty, low growth and disparity.
Although even the poorest countries of the EU have
improved significantly, the inequality among them and the rich EU countries
remains high and in some cases, like Greece, has increased.
The multi-speed EU is truly an opportunity to move
towards the completion of the European project. However, in doing so, European
leaders have to ensure that we are not leaving any country behind. Therefore,
the commitment to upward convergence among members and to maintaining the doors
of integration open needs to be reinstated during the creation of the new EU.
DIMITAR DIMITROV
References:
[artigo de opinião produzido no âmbito da unidade curricular “Economia Portuguesa e Europeia” do 3º ano do curso de Economia (1º ciclo) da EEG/UMinho]
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