Why we need a debate on the future of the EU

Third, instead of a futile theoretical debate over "liberal" versus "social" models of economic development, we need to compare the experiences of such countries as Great Britain, Sweden, Germany and France. Are their experiences mutually exclusive, or is convergence possible? Which policies in fact reduce unemployment? Which measures can ensure the EU's global competitiveness? How can we narrow the existing differences in development and material welfare within Europe?

Fourth, the EU's aspiration for a common foreign and security policy must be addressed. The threats facing the world today are supranational, so counteracting them must be supranational too. But this is impossible without a clear European identity -- and thus a common interest to be asserted and defended. Only then will a common approach to pressing issues, such as energy supplies, be possible.

Such questions could be the topic of a consultative referendum held simultaneously in all member states. Its results would allow the treaty to be presented in a simplified version for ratification by the nine member states that have still not done so. The EU would then gain both a political dimension and clear rules of procedure.

The alternative is paralysis. If the EU continues to be governed under the Treaty of Nice there will be no room for further political integration or enlargement. Nor do the current rules ensure the effective functioning of the Union's institutions, while drafting a new constitutional treaty would probably require even more time than was needed for the current proposal. In these circumstances, pragmatism should prevail.

Democracy may carry certain short-term costs, but they are always lower than the long-term damage that comes from a lack of popular participation. Only a new European debate that includes both it's citizens and institutions can combat "alter-Europeanism" effectively. The time may not be ripe for a true European constitution, but confronting, rather than evading, the fundamental issues that the EU faces could create a context for reviving the constitutional treaty and preparing the EU for the challenges of our time.

Bronislaw Geremek is a former Polish foreign minister and is a current member of the European Parliament.

Copyright: Project Syndicate/Institute for Human Sciences