EU Development in the Context of the Conference on the Future of Europe

Abstract

The European Union is being dragged deeper into another systemic crisis, largely caused by itself. The EU usually saved face from the crises and got stronger, modernized, with broader powers vested by the Member States. Now the situation is different. The EU has hedged its bets. Using the tools of "deliberative" democracy, it held a Conference on the future of Europe, which is discussed in detail in this article. It was organized in a modern network format. Owing to it, the EU leadership was able to involve tens of thousands of people and all segments of society in the discussion of implementing the European project and deepening integration. According to their plan, such an impressive representativeness legitimizes in advance the widest range of recommendations approved by the Conference. Given these recommendations, the European Parliament, the EU Council and the European Commission can now draw any recipes for revitalizing what they are already doing, tightening their course and renewing the EU. They got a free hand, which they counted on: it will be difficult for opponents of reforms to go against the mandate of voters. Some of the measures proposed by the Conference have already been taken up by the EU institutions. Some may require amendments to the founding agreements of the integration bloc and the convening of a convention. The result could be a profound transformation in the way the EU is organized and functions. However, Brussels' plans seem to fall far from reality, contradict the interests of other world players and promotion of equal international cooperation and multilateralism.