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The French president proposed modifications for the integration of more territories in order to welcome Ukraine. In addition, he stressed the need for reforms in the internal functioning of the bloc of 27. The presidents of the European Commission and the European Parliament highlighted the strength of the Union in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
This May 9, on the occasion of the celebration of Europe Day, a day in which the Conference for the future of Europe was also held, the French president, Emmanuel Macron – recently re-elected for a five-year term in his country and also at the head of the rotating presidency of the European Union -, proposed a series of reforms to the political and structural functioning of the bloc of 27.
Europe Day marks the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, referring to a group of proposals made in 1950 by the then French Foreign Minister, Robert Schuman, with which a joint administration was promoted that led to the creation of the first European Community that resulted in the current Union.
In his speech, Macron emphasized that “the EU, taking into account its level of integration, cannot be the only way to structure the European continent in the short term” and proposed the constitution of a “European political community” to which integrate nations that share the same values, but cannot quickly join the bloc, as is the case with Ukraine.
Despite constant requests from kyiv to join the group of 27 – the country delivered this Monday the documentation to carry out the accession process – Macron called for being more realistic. “We all know that the process of joining (the EU) will take several years and, in fact, several decades.”
“Because of its struggle and its courage, Ukraine is already a member of our Europe’s heart,” stressed the French dignitary.
But Ukraine is not the only country that wants to be part of the bloc in the near future and Macron assured that the war and the “legitimate aspiration” of kyiv and other nations such as Georgia, Moldova or other Balkan countries “force us to rethink” the geography “and the organization of the continent, said the Gallic ruler.
The “political community” proposal would allow “democratic nations that are associated with our base of values to find a new space for political and security cooperation” and also in other areas such as energy, transportation and the movement of people, argued the president.
Cette Communauté politique européenne permettrait aux Nations, européennes et démocratiques, to find a new space for cooperation, in matters of politics, security, energy, transport, free circulation of persons.pic.twitter.com/xXRzg02rHi
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 9, 2022
Macron also pointed out that the mechanism would be receptive to “all those who have left”, in reference to Brexit, which materialized the departure of the United Kingdom from the community group.
The key objective of the proposal would be the preservation of continental unity without endangering “the strength and ambition” of the bloc. The French president will refine his initiative in the coming months, as he consults with other nations on the proposals.
At a joint press conference with the French president, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said hours later that it is a “very interesting” proposal. However, he assured that this should not prevent carrying out “the accession demands that we have been working on for some time, with the states of the Western Balkans”, he indicated.
Other reforms to the Union
At the gates of the next summit of the organization, to be held next June, Emmanuel Macron leaned towards a reform of the EU treaties.
One of the fundamental aspects of the changes would be noted when making decisions that require the unanimous support of the members, an aspect that could be changed by a majority.
The purpose of the measure is that goals such as action against climate change, social justice or full employment can be promoted more quickly.
EU support to Ukraine
During the day, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, also spoke.
Both ratified the bloc’s support for Ukraine in the context of the Russian invasion.
Von der Leyen highlighted the need to “celebrate” Europe Day as “a far more powerful image than any military parade that may be going up or down the streets of Moscow right now.” Von der Leyen reacted in this way to the speech that Russian President Vladimir Putin had given hours earlier in Moscow’s Red Square, with which he justified the war against Ukraine, on the occasion of Victory Day over Nazi Germany.
At another point in her presentation, the President of the Commission further stated that the European dream shines in “those who mourn the senseless atrocities in Bucha, in Irpin and in every Ukrainian town and city hit by war”, as well as in ” those people, young and old” who “are willing to fight and die for their future and for that dream of Europe,” he added.
Europe is a dream.
And it shines brightest in the eyes of all those young Ukrainians who have found a refuge in Europe.
The future of Europe is your future. The future of our democracy is the future of your democracy. #TheFutureIsYours pic.twitter.com/wnyMJygWsI
– Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) May 9, 2022
For her part, the president of the European Parliament asserted that the future of the EU is tied to that of Ukraine and also warned of the “transcendental cost” that failure to respond to the threat posed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine would mean.
Metsola called Moscow’s military intervention a “medieval aggression” that changed the world, making it a “more dangerous” place, thus changing Europe’s role in this scenario.
With EFE and Reuters
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