Once the European Union is Saved Who’s Going to Take Care of its Future?

Dear Commissioner Reding,

The debt crisis is putting the whole European Union at risk. The collapse of the Euro would damage everybody. The media loves a good political disaster but I’m confident that,  once the flames have been extinguished, the Union will come out of it stronger. Even the Economist rebukes British Euroscepticism this week.

Once the crisis is over we must resume tackling the structural problems of Europe.  With its ageing population, stagnating economy, massive immigration and internal conflicts, the list of challenges goes on and on.

As your colleagues and national governments are busy sorting out the crisis – and will be for a while –  who is thinking about the future of the EU?

My main concern is that the Union doesn’t have a purpose any more. We can’t bang on about WWII these days. European elites haven’t been able to come up with a new Big Idea and this is reflected in its diminishing legitimacy – 3 failed referendums in a row – and influence – e.g. the Copenhagen Summit last year. In the mean time, fledgling world powers are emerging and new global challenges are on the horizon.

I believe more than a few Europeans have realized that the solutions for the future won’t come from the usual suspects: the governments and the markets. There is a new player on the scene… Or more accurately speaking, 500 million new players: the Europeans – especially those organised in the so-called civil society. This is your field, Commissioner, isn’t it?

Reading the Citizenship Report you recently launched I can see your ambitions. Europe has to be less self-absorbed and put citizens at the top of the agenda. The jargon has to be dropped to make it clear that the EU is good value for people. Correct!

You took the initiative and proposed a European Year of Citizens in 2013. Wonderful!

You are on the right track but here is where you should stop and ponder. And here’s some food for thought: Citizens don’t need Europe but Europe needs them.

The European Union should demand to replace national governments in the guarantee of rights or creating new rights to reinforce its legitimacy. Europe should foster an enabling environment for citizens to take action. It could establish a platform for citizens to connect with one another and collaborate beyond borders and boundaries.

This is already embedded in the core strategies of European Union – Europe 2020, and Innovation Union. It’s called social innovation. When governments reveal their incompetence and markets freak out the solutions to our shared problems lie with the people especially those organised in associations, NGOs, social enterprises, coops, charities, foundations, etc.

Now it’s your turn to champion this cause, Commissioner. Don’t limit the playing field to a mere legal interpretation of citizenship or treat people as customers with needs to be served, or even worse, tourists. There is already EasyJet to do that. People want a chance to engage and make a difference. Especially young people and immigrants.

You can be the person to make it happen. I’ve worked with your staff for many years. Officials such as Cecile, Joachim, Sophie, and Ylva are already open to new ideas and committed to reach out beyond the Brussels bubble. Moreover, you should link citizenship through social innovation to all the other strands of European strategy: information society, single market, employment and social inclusion, enlargement, regional and international development, environment and climate change.

We are ready to help if you lead.