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Brexit is an economic, political and strategic disaster of historical significance for the United Kingdom (UK). Its consequences will also be negative for the European Union (EU). Admittedly, it is to be hoped that the UK, a major European country, hitherto attached to the same fundamental values as the EU, will remain close to it for its trade and in the main lines of its foreign policy. Besides, the UK sometimes prevented the deepening of the EU, particularly in terms of security policy, while it was always pushing for rapid enlargement. However, the internal balance of the EU will change and its weight on the international scene will be reduced. But the world is changing and becoming less secure. Will the EU27 be able to effectively help its Member States to face the challenges of the coming years, without being thoroughly reformed? [...]
18 CONCRETE PROPOSALS
MAKING EU's FUNDAMENTAL VALUES RESPECTED
-1) The Commission should seize the CJEU for infringement of a Treaty obligation of any legal act of a Member State taken in an area falling within the scope of the Treaties violating Article 2 TEU and the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
-2) The Commission could propose to modify the relevant texts in order to provide for the suspension of the benefit of EU budgetary resources when a Member State uses such resources without complying with Article 2 TEU and Article 51 of the Charter.
-3) The Commission could request the Fundamental Rights Agency to draw up reports in the framework of the mechanism it adopted "to strengthen the rule of law".
REFORMING THE EURO AREA
-4) Finalize the banking union with a unique deposit insurance system.
-5) Transform the European Stability Mechanism into a European Monetary Fund with greater resources.
-6) Create a significant budgetary capacity for the euro area.
-7) The Council, acting by a qualified majority of the Member States of the euro area, could adopt measures applicable to those States to strengthen the coordination and supervision of budgetary discipline (Article 136 TFEU).
DEVELOPING EU IMMIGRATION AND ASYLUM POLICY
-8) Imposing financial solidarity on Member States not subject to migratory pressure or refusing to admit refugees (Article 80 TFEU).
-9) The Commission must refer to the CJEU the abuse of rights of the Member States which sell their passports to wealthy third-country nationals.
-10) The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European External Action Service, established to coordinate the different external policies of the EU (Articles 21 and 22 TEU), must do so, in particular by establishing conditions for financial aid and EU trade policy.
STRENGTHENING EU DEMOCRATIC LEGITIMACY
-11) The governments of all Member States ought to encourage a control by their national Parliament on the decisions to be taken in the Council of the EU (Article 12 TEU and Protocols 1 and 2).
PREPARING ANY POSSIBLE ENLARGEMENT
-12) Adapting the EU institutions and procedures before any possible further enlargement (respecting Copenhagen and Madrid criteria).
-13) The Commission must verify the stability of full compliance by the applicant States with the conditions laid down in Articles 2 and 49 TEU.
FOREIGN POLICY AND FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM: COOPERATING WITH THE UNITED KINGDOM
-14) The EU should organise appropriate procedures for exchanging views and information on foreign and defence policy with the UK, without compromising the decision-making autonomy of each party.
15) The EU should do the same in the field of the fight against terrorism, as well as for the respect of the international order.
TARGETING EU BUDGET EFFORTS
-16) Promoting European funding which have the maximum value added: launch of applied research and industrial projects common to several or all Member States in the most advanced scientific fields.
ENCOURAGING ENHANCED COOPERATION
-17) The European Parliament and the Commission could suggest priorities among possible areas: Economic and Monetary Union (Article 136 TFEU), Energy, Taxation, Social Policy, European Public Prosecutor's Office (Article 86 TFEU), etc.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL TREATIES BY SUBJECT
-18) France and Germany could take the initiative to propose to willing and able Member States to conclude treaties on specific subjects, using the EU institutions.