(13 March 2017) – A policy paper by Yves Bertoncini, the director of the Jacques Delors Institute, explores the philosophical, political and institutional conditions which must be met to allow a legitimate deepening of differentiation within the EU.
Since the Member States and peoples of the EU are “united in diversity”, it seems natural for the European construction to use patterns of differentiated integration, so as to be able to act in an effective manner while taking this diversity into account.
In today’s Europe, where political heterogeneity seems more acute than ever, having more differentiated integration appears to be an almost natural way forward for the EU.
Yves Bertoncini highlights the importance of a differentiation based on sound political foundations, which is then able to serve the interests of the European peoples.
He concludes that at least three sets of desirable and feasible initiatives could be completed or launched in the near future: in the security and defence field, in the Home and Judicial Affairs field, and in the Economic and Monetary Union field.