Enlargement, end of the right of veto: Olaf Scholz delivers his vision of the future of Europe
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz gave a speech on the future of Europe at the University of Prague on August 29, 2022. AP - Petr David Josek
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2 mins
During a speech on the future of Europe delivered in Prague on Monday August 29, the German Chancellor reaffirmed his support for French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal to create a "European political community".
Olaf Scholz also pledged to support EU enlargement.
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"
The fact that the EU continues to expand towards the east is an advantage for all of us
," argued the German Chancellor on Monday during a speech on the future of Europe delivered in Prague.
Olaf Scholz
thus pleaded for an enlargement of the European Union “
to the States of the Western Balkans
”, as well as to
Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia
.
Olaf Scholz went so far as to mention “
a European Union of 30 or 36 States
”, which is very “
different from our current Union
”.
“
The center of Europe is moving east
,” he said.
Majority rather than unanimity on taxation and diplomacy
In this future configuration, the operating rules will necessarily have to evolve, according to the Chancellor.
“
In this enlarged Union, the differences between the Member States will increase in terms of political interests, economic power or social systems,
” he explained.
“
Ukraine is not Luxembourg.
And Portugal does not look at the challenges of the world in the same way as North Macedonia
,” he described.
Thus, "
where unanimity is required today, the risk that a single country prevents all the others from moving forward with its
veto
increases with each new Member State
", argued the German Chancellor.
"
That's why I proposed to move gradually to majority decision-making in common foreign policy, but also in other areas, such as fiscal policy
", explained the German Chancellor, not hiding the fact that “
this would also have consequences for Germany
”.
For him, “
sticking to the principle of unanimity only works as long as the pressure to act is weak.
But this is no longer the case in view of the change of era
” caused, according to him, by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Support for the project of a “European political community”
A possible enlargement would have repercussions on the composition of the European Parliament, according to him.
On the other hand, he says he remains committed to the principle of one European commissioner per country.
Olaf Scholz also reiterated his support
for Emmanuel Macron's proposal for a "European political community"
.
Within this new forum, "
we would discuss once or twice a year the central themes that concern our continent as a whole: security, energy, climate or connectivity
", he said.
(
with AFP
)
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Germany
Olaf Scholz
European Union