The history of European integration is truly a formidable success story. In the aftermath of two devastating world wars, the European Union project has enormously contributed to prosperity, peace, stability and security in the continent.
Managing and overcoming the crisis that the EU is facing is a mammoth task- Ryan Callus
What we know today as a union of 27 member states is the result of a proposed declaration by then French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman calling upon Germany and other European countries to pool together their coal and steel resources and set up a new form of organisation of states of Europe. These countries, which, at the time, nearly destroyed the continent in a dreadful conflict, would set up a supranational community, paving the way to a fully democratic European integration.
As they would say, the rest is history.
Notwithstanding the remarkable successes and achievements garnered over the years, the EU suffered a number of setbacks that posed major challenges, shaking its very core.
The integration process in the 1950s started with a major stumbling block with the failure to establish a European Defence Community and a European Political Community. The 1970s and 1980s were particularly troublesome as Europe battled the oil crisis, fiscal problems and exchange rate instability.
Recent history brings to the fore internal divisions with the Danish rejection of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, the Irish no to the Nice Treaty in 2001, the political impasse brought about by the resounding no of the French and Dutch to the Constitutional Treaty in 2005 and the seemingly unwavering Irish refusal to endorse the Lisbon Treaty in 2008.
It is clear that the EU had its good share of nays.
Today, Europe is yet again put to a major test that is presumably more profound and serious than anything it had to contend with before. It could very well be on the verge of a precipice.
Today, Europe is facing another integration plateau, much higher ground and very confusing in terms of what can realistically be achieved and the best way forward to adopt.
The global and economic financial problems, especially the sovereign debt and euro crisis, have cast doubts and elicited reservations on the rudiments of European integration. Talk of a country exiting the euro area, of the end of the eurozone and even of the disintegration of the European Union are no longer taboo topics that were unthinkable up until only a few years ago.
Such hypothesis of what could happen in the future, hopefully a doubtful theory, is what best defines a worst-case scenario.
Notwithstanding the successive predicaments it faced in the past, and still does, European integration has stuck to its determination to grow out of the crisis. It always adopted a “never-waste-a-good crisis” stand when facing and overcoming any crisis and emerging even stronger.
Indisputably, the setting up of the European Community in the 1950s, the Single Market, the abolition of border controls, the introduction of the euro and the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty are but a few tangible and concrete examples that lend credence to the European project.
By no stretch of the imagination is the European project perfect. Much less should anybody think that the crisis is over or resolved.
A number of critics have voiced their unenthusiastic viewpoints on the European project: that the EU’s capacity to adapt and the general consensus over the merits of integration have significantly weakened; lack of legitimacy is still pervasive despite efforts to strengthen democratic governance; time-consuming constitution building and treaty reform procedures have diverted attention and direction; long-term strategies and visions are progressively eroding as member states are slowly regressing to nationalism.
Managing and overcoming the crisis that the EU is facing is a mammoth task. Difficult times lie ahead. As Europe finds itself at a crossroads, it will be interesting to watch whether the iron law of integration will prove itself yet again and witness the EU’s mastery at exploiting such difficult situations. This is crucial if the EU is to emerge victorious and stronger from this crisis.
We have just celebrated Europe Day, the day when everything began! European integration is works in progress. This is how it will remain: an ongoing project.
As long as Europe continues to maintain the momentum and remain focused in strengthening the partnership and integration process, it will continue to be a success story.
The author is vice-president of the Youth of the European Peoples’ Party and deputy mayor of Siġġiewi.