Why the EU fails: Learning from past experiences to succeed better next time

Abstract:

As the European Union opens a new chapter in its turbulent history, considering where and why the Union has failed in the past is crucial. To this end, the FIIA convened a high-level conference in Helsinki in December 2009 entitled Why the EU fails. This report combines a selection of contributions to the conference with additional articles, which together provide a snapshot of EU failure in different areas.

In their contributions, the writers suggest that the reasons for EU failure are discernible at a number of different levels including: the EU’s incomplete and ineffective institutional structure; the faltering commitment of the member states to the European project; the pursuit of misguided and suboptimal policies as a result of the EU’s lowest common denominator approach; and an unfavourable international environment.

Together, these contributions provide a valuable overview of the complex nature of EU failure and offer some tentative recommendations for future improvements. Ultimately, continuous self-reflection and a more thorough analysis of the failures suggested in this report will be necessary if the European project is to go forward.

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