The economy and employment, war and security, natural disasters and the protection of the environment are just some of the issues on which European citizens demand decisive action from the EU. Compared to the past, other issues – including migration or energy supply – play second fiddle. Eurobarometer, whose opinion polls regularly monitor European citizens’ ‘sentiments’, has confirmed this trend. And even though the level of public confidence in the European institutions appears to be generally high – in a number of Member States it is much higher than citizens’ trust in their national institutions – there is a widespread sense of uncertainty, incomprehension and occasional disorientation among EU citizens regarding certain aspects of EU policies.
Let us take a few examples. When the first von der Leyen Commission took office in 2019, climate change was high on the agenda of the EU27.
The Green Deal – the roadmap for a sustainable economy and lifestyle – was a mainstay of the Commission’s programme.
That was until the unpredictable outbreak of the COVID pandemic and the ensuing health, economic and social crises.
Nevertheless, tackling climate change has remained an obvious commitment (duty) given its impact on everyday life. Unfortunately, it has (belatedly) been noted that the Green Deal comes with substantial economic costs, coupled with the need to change, at least in part, common lifestyles. This has led to pressure from special interest groups, and from those ‘potentates’ who are unwilling to make sacrifices for the greater good. There are now many signs of backtracking on the Green Deal – in the areas of agriculture, mobility and transport, renewable energy…
The EU’s political cohesion stumbles even when it comes to helping Ukraine, which takes the daily brunt of Russian aggression.
While the EU is extending a helping hand to the Ukrainian people by taking in refugees and providing humanitarian aid, it has yet to reach full agreement on committing €50 billion to reconstruction, not to mention the supply of weapons and their use for defending Ukrainian territory. This latter point raises legitimate concerns (insufficient steps are being taken towards a political and diplomatic solution), but the most astonishing aspect is the fact that some governments are confusing the attacker with the aggressor. Even Hungarian Prime Minister Orban, current president of the EU Council, misses no opportunity to demonstrate his friendship with Putin.
In the context of ongoing conflicts, to take another example, the European Union has yet to adopt a common position on developments in the Middle East in the absence of a clear vision or a defined stance on the actions and reactions taking place on the ground involving Israel, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran ….
In addition, many other, arguably less prominent issues have resulted in the failure to reach consensus on a common direction for the EU27 in the near future:
What is the state of play on the reform of the institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg? Given the current and future challenges, is the EU budget sufficient? Are the defence of democracy and the rule of law, under threat in some EU countries, still an imperative? As regards migration and asylum, should we settle for the very timid Pact drawn up last spring? Is the implementation of the social pillar an empty slogan?
The European Union and its Member States are faced with numerous unresolved issues. There is no time to waste. In fact there is need for bold political decisions extending beyond the scope of national interests. Will it be nationalism or the European spirit that will prevail? This is the fundamental question that requires clear answers.
