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Macron's EU proposal: A potential mechanism for Southeast Asia?
Macron’s proposal for a looser European entity could very well be applied in Southeast Asia to coexist alongside ASEAN.
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French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (center) and High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell (second left) attend the Indo-Pacific Ministerial Cooperation Forum on Feb. 22, 2022 as part of the French Presidency of the EU Council in Paris, France. (Pool via REUTERS/Christophe Archambault)
O
n the same day intended to celebrate Europe and the voice of its citizens, several European Union members issued a joint declaration that not only caused frustration, but also served as a good reminder of the political reality.
Europe Day, celebrated on May 9, commemorates the Schuman Declaration, named after former French foreign minister Robert Schuman who proposed the pillars of the European integration project.
This year’s celebration was even more important, because it presented the final recommendations of the Conference on the Future of Europe, a bottom-up initiative that involved and engaged thousands of citizens across the EU.
The recommendations, which cover the entire spectrum of policy-making, including stronger commitment to climate change, more inclusive and democratic institutions to harmonize living conditions across the EU, equal access to digital infrastructures and measures for a stronger European identity, are the outcomes of a very extensive and holistic effort in deliberative democracy.
Some of these will inevitably require a change in existing treaties, a complex and lengthy process that will entail the consent of all member nations.
That’s why it was painful, at least for someone who believes in a stronger and more united Europe, to read that some members less enthusiastic about integration preemptively released a note objecting to any changes to the basic laws of the EU.
Yet, it was also not surprising.
