A United States of Europe: the need for leadership

In a world of unpredictable fluctuations, European democracies face an enormous challenge of importance on the global stage. Around the table of power are a divided America, an assertive China, an opportunistic India, an ambitious South Africa, a violent Russia and wealthy Middle Eastern states. Europeans must find the best way to exercise their power, and do so with intelligence, pragmatism and a strong sense of their own identity and purpose.

Today’s multipolar world faces myriad crises, and militant autocracies seek to widen Western divisions through a heady mix of nationalism and nostalgia. Part of solving this problem will be more effective leadership in Europe – and that means accelerating the pace of the European integration process. The solution is to build the United States of Europe – a grand project offering an attractive plan for all citizens. Without such ambition, no EU country will be invited to sit at the global table. Instead, Europeans will find themselves on the dessert menu.

Europe’s success on the global stage – and the quality of life of its citizens – depends on the success of European integration. The philosophy of European integration, developed by Robert Schuman more than 70 years ago, sought to proceed in small steps of integration capable of generating de facto solidarity. This approach worked for many decades and brought peace and prosperity. However, the transformation of the European Union into a United States of Europe can now only happen with a profound reform of the bloc’s founding treaties. Such a transformation would benefit current and future generations of European citizens.

Much of the problem lies internally. The EU cannot fulfill its functions, let alone achieve its ambitions, while the European Commission lacks transparency, member states say. abuse their veto power in the EU Council and the European Parliament remains weak. The need for rapid institutional reforms is clearer than ever. The European Commission should move to the next level to become a transparent and effective federal executive responsible for managing new energy, tax, social, industrial, foreign and defense policies; its president should be elected by EU citizens. The EU Council must urgently become a democratic institution in which member states vote with the aim of realizing EU values. The European Parliament should have full budgetary and legislative powers, shared equally with the Council of the EU, as well as the right to propose new European legislation.

These changes would make a real difference to solving the problems that EU citizens know they need to solve. Three of these issues illustrate the difference a United States of Europe could make.

First, the EU needs its external borders to be protected by Frontex representatives capable of stopping illegal immigration and human and drug trafficking. Federalization of border protection could generate better allocation of financial and human resources and faster implementation of best practices.

Next, keeping the lights on across Europe while pursuing the energy transition means fully implementing an energy union and accelerating investments in renewable sources and energy efficiency measures. The EU could reduce energy prices if it built a single energy and gas network and jointly purchased energy from third countries. The Energy Union would also enable new industrialization in Europe, driven by investments in research and development and the production of technologies necessary for the energy transition. A European federal energy regulator could make a decisive contribution to creating a green and secure European energy sector, capable of providing competitive prices to citizens and playing a leading role in the global energy transition.

Finally, properly coordinated fiscal and social policies can strengthen the geopolitical position of Europeans. The United States of Europe will be able to implement a concrete and serious plan for the rapid and complete integration of the Western Balkan countries, Ukraine, Moldova and Turkey. The new project should remain open to UK membership; in fact, the United States of Europe was recommended by none other than Winston Churchill in 1946. Such a union would generate institutional reform to allow new states and people to join the club, making it the strongest economy in the world, supported by a currency stable and powerful.

Agreeing on a political project of this magnitude will not be easy. The lack of cooperation and true spirit of solidarity between Member States must be overcome. Hungary has weakened Sweden, another EU member state, in the latter’s attempt to join NATO. Elsewhere, Austria’s once pro-European government is emulating the rhetoric of its far-right populist competitors on migration and blocking Romania’s accession to the Schengen area. Populist parties are gaining support by promising easy answers to multiple recent crises, from economic woes to Russia’s war against Ukraine. But the truth is that EU citizens will have suffered from these crises because the EU has been less united than it could have been.

Few at the top are currently speaking in these terms, but envisioning this alternative future can also bring forth new leaders to defend and shape it, alongside civil society, citizen groups, youth movements and creative people. To build a peaceful, prosperous and active Europe in a better world, it is the duty of our generation to act for this Europe now, and not simply allow ourselves to be pushed there by war and tragedy.

Razvan Nicolescu is a former Romanian energy minister, diplomat and ECFR board member.