The Future of Europe

Citation

Gamble, C.J. (1998), "The Future of Europe", European Business Review, Vol. 98 No. 1, pp. 73-73. https://doi.org/10.1108/ebr.1998.98.1.73.1

Marriages of convenience are proposed between different EU countries on particular issues, such as a common immigration or defence policy, thus offering a greater degree of flexibility or variable geometry than is currently possible under the various treaties. To visualise the groupings, Michael Howard uses the image of overlapping circles: this is not an original concept for it was first used by Sir Richard Body in his book entitled Europe of Many Circles (New European Publications, London, 1990). The opt‐outs in the Maastricht Treaty negotiated by Denmark and the UK in respect of monetary union lead us to believe that some degree of flexibility may be possible.

This seems to me to be an eminently sensible and pragmatic way of constructing Europe, and one more likely to avoid conflict and stresses and strains imposed by an artificial political union, with a powerhouse in Brussels.

The proposals Michael Howard makes permit each nation to enjoy optimal conditions for development within a Europe of a “nation des nations”. What better way of motivating countries and increasing European, and indeed World, prosperity.