Negotiating the European Union's Dilemmas: Proposals on Governing Europe

This paper culminates and concludes the "Governing Europe" research project by presenting an overall assessment of the state of the European Union, and a set of prescriptions for the short and medium term, building on the analysis and find-ings of the individual contributions. The paper is organised around six main questions: first, how to construct a realistic and fruitful political narrative for the Union? Second, how to turn politicisation from a threat to an opportunity for integration? Third, how to best balance unity and diversity by means of differentiated integration? Fourth, how to consolidate the Eurozone both economically and institutionally? Fifth, how to change the EU’s guiding economic paradigm? Finally, how to formulate a foreign policy that matches Europe’s position in the world? For each of these themes the paper reflects on the main issues and dilemmas facing EU policy-makers, summarises the project's recommendations, and lists a number of actionable policy points.

Paper prepared within the context of “Governing Europe”, a joint project led by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) and Centro Studi sul Federalismo (CSF) of Turin in the framework of the strategic partnership with Compagnia di San Paolo, International Affairs Programme. Publ. in: Lorenzo Vai, Pier Domenico Tortola, Nicoletta Pirozzi (eds.), Governing Europe. How to Make the EU More Efficient and Democratic, Bruxelles [etc], P.I.E-Peter Lang, 2017, 248 p. (Federalism ; 8), ISBN 978-2-8076-0058-4 (pbk); 978-2-8076-0059-1 (pdf); 978-2-8076-0060-7 (EPUB); DOI: 10.3726/b10699.