Be the first to comment!Time to correct existing regional & national imbalances within EU – Sant
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Maltese MEP Alfred Sant told the European Parliament that a new, huge political effort of consolidation must first be undertaken by the EU to correct the existing regional and national imbalances within the EU. “Only then would the EU be able to regain the momentum of its first thirty years.”
Dr Sant made this statement during a plenary debate on the Rome Declaration to be adopted this week by EU leaders in Rome.
The MEP said that in the first thirty years of its existence, the EU achieved most of its aims, especially that of securing peace in Western Europe through economic integration. In its second thirty years, the EU went for enlargement and deepening.
“This has led to stagnation and semi-paralysis. The new structures of unity and control that were created have proven unable to cope with political, economic and demographic turmoil,” he said.
“The Rome declaration should recognise this reality, not simply recast the rhetoric that made sense in the first half of the Union’s existence to Europe’s present and future challenges. Internally, the European project has become a transfer union that follows the pulls and pushes of neoliberal guidelines,” Dr Sant remarked.
“Now, millions of people in the EU feel completely disconnected with – or hostile to – the European project. Their expectations of ever increasing security and wellbeing were undermined by austerity and by policies that fail to respond to their life priorities. Meanwhile, economic and social divergences within the Union have grown,” he added.
The expected Rome Declaration, will conclude a period of reflection which started in Bratislava, in September 2016, right after the UK referendum.
At this Bratislava European Council meeting, the Heads of State and Government decided to begin a political reflection on the future of the EU with 27 member states. EU leaders are expected to conclude this reflection process in Rome on 25 March 2017, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Rome Treaties, where the Rome Declaration will be adopted.
