In his annual State of the Union address on Wednesday, European Commission President Barroso issued a clarion call for a ‘federation of nation states’ to take on the challenges facing Europe. The only way forward is more unity and more European integration, said Barroso. But this must be accompanied by more democracy – placing the European Parliament in a central role – and subsidiarity – concentrating EU action on the real issues that need to be dealt with at European level.
There is much for Liberal Democrats to welcome in the speech. The emphasis on the European Parliament, national parliaments and taking a critical look at what should be done at EU level chimes very much with Lib Dem values. These are ideas that have been pushed by Nick Clegg since he was an MEP. A federation does not mean a superstate, and pooling sovereignty is about regaining control, not losing it.
The Commission wants to complete the Single Market, the EU’s economic ‘goldmine’, still dogged by too much protectionism and red tape. It plans to boost renewable energy and investment in green growth, another top Lib Dem priority. Barroso’s prescription for national economic reforms could have been taken from the UK’s Coalition agreement: modernise government, reduce wasteful expenditure, tackle vested interests and make life easier for businesses.
But the overriding move towards a banking union as a step towards fiscal and finally political union means the UK will soon be presented with a stark choice: do we want to shape the future or forever be running to catch up with it? As Barroso said, “no-one will be forced to come along and no-one will be forced to stay out, but the speed will not be dictated by the slowest.”
Note EU-Digest: this is very positive thinking, but these nationalistic, inward looking people and politicians are not only to be found in Britain but also all over Europe and just about everywhere else around the world. They are a very destructive force who have blinders on, in addition to not being able to look further than their nose.
Read more: Opinion: Europe’s moving ahead. Are we part of it or not?
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