By Tirana Times Editorial
There is a growing trend inside the European Union calling for a two-speed Europe: An inner core headed by Germany and France that is more integrated economically and politically and shares a common currency and an outer core that that has fewer commitments to Brussels.
The notion stems directly out of the current economic troubles in the eurozone. The crisis appears unmanageable with the current EU system, so the two-layered solution has attracted a lot of attention as a possible way out for the current crisis and similar problems that might appear in the future.
European Council on Foreign Relations’ Michiel van Hulten, who is also a former member of the European Parliament, says in a recent analysis that Europeans must accept that the the answer to the current problems is to replace the existing EU with a new two-layered structure.
“The outer layer would be an overarching, less intrusive and more inclusive framework for European cooperation: a European Area of Freedom, Security and Prosperity (EFSP). This would comprise all EU and EFTA member states, as well as all existing EU candidate countries including Turkey. It could be expanded eastward to all European countries, one day even up to and including Russia, if and when the Copenhagen accession criteria (or similar) are met,” he writes in the analysis (see page 7).
It would be this version of the European Union that Albania would aspire to join since the country is economically pretty low on the list. Needless to say, if this proposal is ever implemented the implications for Albania would be as immense as for the European Union itself.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy raised the bar earlier this month arguing the model is needed specifically because the bloc is growing.
“You cannot make a single currency without economic convergence and economic integration. It’s impossible. But on the contrary, one cannot plead for federalism and at the same time for the enlargement of Europe. It’s impossible. There’s a contradiction. We are 27. We will obviously have to open up to the Balkans. We will be 32, 33 or 34. I imagine that nobody thinks that federalismشotal integrationةs possible at 33, 34, 35 countries,” he said in a speech. “There will not be a single currency without greater economic integration and convergence. That is certain. And that is where we are going. Must one have the same rules for the 27? No. Absolutely not. … In the end, clearly, there will be two European gears: one gear towards more integration in the euro zone and a gear that is more confederal in the European Union.”
The French president’s words are both good and bad news for Albania. It is obvious the commitment to enlarge the European Union remains firmly in place and Albania will take its place in the European family even with the economic crisis going on.
However if that enlargement is used to point out that Europe has become hard to manage and there need to be two classes of membership, the psychological implications for the countries left out unwillingly will be troubling even for current EU members, let alone aspiring ones like Albania.
Only time will tell where the European Union is headed, but it appears the current economic crisis might transform the bloc forever.
