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A union in crisis meets to plan Europe’s future
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REELING from Britain’s decision to leave, the European Union’s remaining 27 states met in Bratislava yesterday to inject momentum into the ailing EU project, acknowledging deep divisions over the refugee crisis and the economy.
Years of economic crisis have pushed up unemployment in many member states, while a spate of attacks by Islamist militants and a record influx of migrants have unsettled voters, who are turning increasingly to populist, anti-EU parties.
The “informal” summit — so-called because any formal one has to include Britain until it leaves the bloc — is aimed at restoring public faith in the European Union, which for decades was seen as a guarantor of peace and prosperity but is now, officials acknowledge, in an “existential crisis.”
“Everyone is aware of the situation. Britain has decided to leave and there are questions about the future of Europe,” French President Francois Hollande said before the meeting in the Slovak capital.
“Either we move in the direction of disintegration, of dilution, or we work together to inject new momentum, we relaunch the European project.”
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said: “Europe should stop sleepwalking in the wrong direction.”
The aim in Bratislava is to agree on a “road map” for reform of the EU that can be finalized over the next six months. More concrete proposals would be presented at a summit in March next year that coincides with the 60th anniversary of the bloc’s founding Treaty of Rome.
But because of divisions on some of the biggest issues, leaders are expected to stick to areas of common ground.
Diplomats said a busy morning of talks in the city’s hilltop castle had remained civil and constructive in analyzing what was wrong. “There were no recriminations,” said a spokesman for summit chairman Donald Tusk. “It was in a good atmosphere.”
“All these countries have an interest in fighting terrorism, in a more secure Europe, in preventing uncontrolled migration, all have an interest in economic cooperation to create more jobs,” said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
In private however, officials admit that major reform may not be possible until elections in the Netherlands, France and Germany next year are out of the way. Even after that, it is unclear whether Germany and France can bridge differences over economic policy.
“The point is not to simply expect a solution to Europe’s problems from one summit — we are in a critical situation — but rather it is about showing through actions that we can be better,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.
Europe’s dominant leader in recent years, Merkel is now under mounting political pressure at home because of her welcoming stance toward refugees, a position which alienated many of her EU partners.
In a sign of her waning power, she has failed to convince eastern European countries Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and summit host Slovakia to accept refugee quotas.
Known as the Visegrad Four, they will submit their own text of proposals at the summit, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said.
The leaders are not expected to discuss their looming divorce negotiations with Britain in any detail.
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