Unity in Diversity – Managing Deepening in the Enlarged Union

A Contribution to the Debate on the Future of Europe

Abstract

The EU approach to the challenge of increased diversity as a consequence of the 2004 enlargement was to aim at deepening through applying uniform solutions in an ever larger scope of legislation. The use of force with hard tools like sanctions and of soft power like rule of law accusations became widespread. There is a danger that the already difficult situation in which some Member States feel that decisions are taken against their national interests can be deteriorated by proposals making it easier to outvote some by further liming the scope of unanimity and reforming the decision-making in a way which increases instead of decreasing the distance between the citizens and decision makers at European level. The author proposes that instead of moving towards a negative approach to national interests, the European approach should rely more on existing instruments such as enhanced cooperation.