by
N. Peter Kramer
For the classical Eurofederalists the ‘ever-closer union’ is the grim quest to the United States of Europe. Charles Michel, Prime-Minister of Belgium, chief of these Europhiles, feared during the last Summit that a British exemption to the ‘ever-closer union’ could create an opening for other also more-or-less sceptical national leaders.
Journalists were told that David Cameron and Charles Michel disagreed on whether closer-union was a good or a bad thing, but that they agreed that it mattered. Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel reacted on this discussion with a light-hearted remark that Michel would be better off pursuing an ‘ever-closer Belgium’. After that the struggle was quickly solved; leaving some European leaders confused behind.
The refugee crisis has tugged at the EU delicate unity like nothing before and has exposed the differences between EU member states that will linger long after the immediate danger has passed. The bonds of trusts that hold together ‘Schengen’ have frayed. It is no longer a question of member states that disagree; now they stopped trying to understand each other’s problems. See, for instance, the Austrian minister blaming Greece not closing hermetically its border with Turkey. Probably he had the idea that this border had the same shape as the one between his country and Germany.
In the EU headquarters you can hear that ‘it has become impossible to work together with 28 members’. A big problem is the lack of a real EU Council leader. ‘Where is Tusk?’ is the question around Rond Point Schuman. The successor of Herman van Rompuy seems to be incapable to be impartial. He supported the initiative of the Visegrád-countries (including ‘his’ Poland) when they scapegoated Greece.
But optimists say that the European project advances only in times of crisis; probably too audacious this time. When the UK leaves, who will take over its annual contribution of €5 billion? Germany, paying already €15,5 billion, or a small country as The Netherlands (already nearly €5 billion)? They don’t look in favour of that ‘honour’. So maybe crises present opportunities for Europhiles, but they are still huge crises.
