METRO SHANGHAI / METRO SHANGHAI
Consul Generals in Shanghai discuss uncertain future of the European Union
To EU or not EU
To celebrate the 60 years' anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, consulates of six founding members of the European Union held a roundtable discussion on the future of the EU followed by an exhibition on the milestones that the EU has achieved over the years.
Several consul generals from the European Union countries and scholars on international relations and laws attended the event, held at Qian Xuesen Library & Museum on the Xuhui campus of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
Signed on March 25, 1957, by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany, the Treaty of Rome brought about the European Economic Community and was regarded as one of the most important treaties of modern-day Europe.
Over the past several years, economic crisis, Brexit, refugee issues and an uncertainty of Europe's relationship with the US along with imbalanced development through its enlargement process have left many doubting the future stability of the 60-year-old treaty in the face of rising populism and anti-EU sentiments.
Though the Netherlands elections offered some temporary reassurance, it is still difficult to predict outcomes in French and German elections later this year. Stefano Beltrame, the Consul General of Italy, said that he shares the same beliefs as Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who was in Shanghai last month to offer positive perspectives on the future of the EU.
"Europe has gone through many crisis. Every time Europe and the European Union came out stronger than before. I believe this time will be the same," he said.
Within the EU family
Peter Rothen the Consul General of Germany, said that despite the current anti-EU sentiment, Europe should look ahead and stand together to deal with the challenges. While people are increasingly losing faith in European projects, Rothen believes this will not work because "with all the weaknesses of a European Union, no EU country will be better off alone than within the EU family."
"The big challenges ahead of us - managing migration flows, managing globalization pressures, protecting the global climate, managing global energy consumption and keeping Europe safe - can only be dealt with by a strong and united, not a fragmented, Europe," he said, adding that Germany has been very strong supporters of the European project.
On the eve of the 60th birthday of the Treaty of Rome, leaders from several EU countries such as Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Italy's Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni gave their endorsement of a Multi-speed Europe (also "variable geometry Europe") so that the European Union can integrate at different levels and pace depending on the political situation of each individual country.
In fact, the multi-speed concept existed at the very beginning of the EU, especially in the case of the euro currency, which is used by only 19 out of 27 EU countries (excluding the UK). Under EU's 2009 Treaty of Lisbon, a minimum of nine countries can integrate at certain political areas without the other member countries taking part.
"We are just seeing that with the large numbers of member states we will no longer be able to move ahead with sufficient speed to cope with all the problems that we have if we do not improve our decision-making process," Rothen told the Global Times after the event.
The door is open
Rothen personally believes that the best way would be to have different speeds for different states. Yet the idea of a variable geometry Europe also threatens to deepen the differences that already existed within the EU.
"We will find a way to convince our partners who are still reluctant that it is not against them but in favor of the European Union. Once they feel ready to join a higher speed they can do this. The door is open," Rothen added.
Also in favor of a Multi-speed Europe, Beltrame told the Global Times that he sees it as very similar to how the EU was implemented. "If you take everybody on board, the integration is lower. If you have jumps from some leading countries, then people follow. It always started from small numbers just as how the EU has grown from six members to 27 countries," he said.
"Every time we have a crisis, we look at each other and decide to carry out further integration. There will be a deepening of relations of the founding fathers and also other members. The way ahead will be to have differentiated levels of integration, which is not new in Europe."
Several consul generals from the European Union countries and scholars on international relations and laws attended the event, held at Qian Xuesen Library & Museum on the Xuhui campus of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
Signed on March 25, 1957, by Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany, the Treaty of Rome brought about the European Economic Community and was regarded as one of the most important treaties of modern-day Europe.
Over the past several years, economic crisis, Brexit, refugee issues and an uncertainty of Europe's relationship with the US along with imbalanced development through its enlargement process have left many doubting the future stability of the 60-year-old treaty in the face of rising populism and anti-EU sentiments.
Though the Netherlands elections offered some temporary reassurance, it is still difficult to predict outcomes in French and German elections later this year. Stefano Beltrame, the Consul General of Italy, said that he shares the same beliefs as Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who was in Shanghai last month to offer positive perspectives on the future of the EU.
"Europe has gone through many crisis. Every time Europe and the European Union came out stronger than before. I believe this time will be the same," he said.
Within the EU family
Peter Rothen the Consul General of Germany, said that despite the current anti-EU sentiment, Europe should look ahead and stand together to deal with the challenges. While people are increasingly losing faith in European projects, Rothen believes this will not work because "with all the weaknesses of a European Union, no EU country will be better off alone than within the EU family."
"The big challenges ahead of us - managing migration flows, managing globalization pressures, protecting the global climate, managing global energy consumption and keeping Europe safe - can only be dealt with by a strong and united, not a fragmented, Europe," he said, adding that Germany has been very strong supporters of the European project.
On the eve of the 60th birthday of the Treaty of Rome, leaders from several EU countries such as Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Italy's Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni gave their endorsement of a Multi-speed Europe (also "variable geometry Europe") so that the European Union can integrate at different levels and pace depending on the political situation of each individual country.
In fact, the multi-speed concept existed at the very beginning of the EU, especially in the case of the euro currency, which is used by only 19 out of 27 EU countries (excluding the UK). Under EU's 2009 Treaty of Lisbon, a minimum of nine countries can integrate at certain political areas without the other member countries taking part.
"We are just seeing that with the large numbers of member states we will no longer be able to move ahead with sufficient speed to cope with all the problems that we have if we do not improve our decision-making process," Rothen told the Global Times after the event.
The door is open
Rothen personally believes that the best way would be to have different speeds for different states. Yet the idea of a variable geometry Europe also threatens to deepen the differences that already existed within the EU.
"We will find a way to convince our partners who are still reluctant that it is not against them but in favor of the European Union. Once they feel ready to join a higher speed they can do this. The door is open," Rothen added.
Also in favor of a Multi-speed Europe, Beltrame told the Global Times that he sees it as very similar to how the EU was implemented. "If you take everybody on board, the integration is lower. If you have jumps from some leading countries, then people follow. It always started from small numbers just as how the EU has grown from six members to 27 countries," he said.
"Every time we have a crisis, we look at each other and decide to carry out further integration. There will be a deepening of relations of the founding fathers and also other members. The way ahead will be to have differentiated levels of integration, which is not new in Europe."
(From left) The consul generals of Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany in Shanghai view an exhibition about the EU's milestones.
People wave EU and Polish flags in Warsaw, Poland on March 25 to mark the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. Photos: CFP and Qi Xijia/GT
