EU: Ten year forecast

Speaking to students about European political trends, in Maastricht, Holland, Rick Morren, Chairman of Europe House said: "EUROPE IN TEN YEARS WILL PROBABLY BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE EUROPE OF TODAY--TRYING TO GRAPPLE WITH THE TRADEOFFS BETWEEN NATIONAL AUTONOMY AND CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION, AND EVERYONE IN THE WORLD WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH AND BE POSSITIVE OR CRITICAL AS TO HOW WE DO IT." AS TO DEFINING WHEN THE EU CALLS AN END TO THE GEOGRAPHICAL EXPANSION PROGRAM, HE SAID, "THAT WILL PROBABLY COME WHEN AND IF TURKEY JOINS THE UNION, SINCE EVERY ADDITIONAL COUNTRY JOINING THE UNION NOW, WILL MAKE IT HARDER TO MANAGE, AND THE COSTS OF THE UNIONS BUREAUCRACY TO RISE. SO WE CAN EXPECT THAT FURTHER EXPANSION WILL MEAN MORE SCRUTINY BY THE EU ELECTORATE, AND MORE CONSERVATIVE SOCIAL AND FISCAL POLICIES BY THE POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT. IMMIGRATION POLICIES, CONTRARY TO PRESENT TRENDS WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO BE DRASTICALLY LIBERALIZED TO REVERSE THE AGING POPULATION CURVE IN THE EU, TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN THE WORLD MARKET AND TO MEET FUTURE EMPLOYMENT DEMANDS. PERSONALLY I FEEL THAT IN THE LONG RUN THE EU WILL NOT SURVIVE WITHOUT A TRUE COMMON AND UNIFIED POLITICAL DOCTRINE, WHICH IS BACKED UP BY A STRONG UNITED DEFENCE FORCE. THIS ISSUE WILL CERTAINLY BECOME A MAJOR PART OF EU POLITICAL DELIBERATIONS IN THE YEARS AHEAD. OBVIOUSLY ALL THESE PREDICTIONS CAN BE GREATLY INFLUENCED BY UNFORSEEN OR SUDDEN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS."