Europe has been caught in the most complex crisis since WW II. Once the world's bastion of liberal, democratic values, Europe has to confront demons it thought it had laid to rest. The old pathologies of antisemitism, populist nationalism, and territorial aggression are threatening to tear the European postwar consensus apart.
With two significant crises in just two years, the Union must craft a distinct and clear message for internal and external stakeholders. With growing instability around the world and the rise of authoritarianism and disinformation, the EU should take the lead in strengthening multilateral partnerships and in protecting and promoting democracy and human rights around the world.
The EU must also ensure its strategic sovereignty and be less dependent on key technological areas, critical infrastructure, and supply chains. If the Union is to affirm its global leadership role, what is required is strong political will and decisive steps.
REBRANDING EUROPE 2024 illustrates how Europe can be rebranded by providing key recommendations on conveying the added value of the EU into citizens' daily lives. The author has interviewed several essential opinion leaders:
Laurentiu Plosceanu, vice-president of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in charge for communication,
“The vast majority of Europeans first think local, then regional, then national, and only at the very end European. The communication about Europe needs to adapt to this reality by recognising that the narratives to reach people need to be local/regional/national ones. Different policy decisions resonate differently in different countries. Europe needs to be brought to the local, grassroots level. “
Jean-Pierre Stroobants, Brussels correspondent for Le Monde,
“The media's role is paramount in creating a European public sphere. This is possible by giving more space to European news in the press. It is ridiculously weak in France. It is necessary [to be] explaining again and again that Europe concerns everyone, every day, whether you like it or not. We need to present the players in the European game in a comprehensive manner and make them less anonymous.”
Ioannis Maniatis, Member of the European Parliament (S&D),
“The main communication problem that the Union has to overcome is the gap between expectations and real competences. It is quite often that citizens expect from the Union to have a much more global role, while the governments of the Member States are less keen of giving that possibility to the Union. Nevertheless, we have seen that the Union had a very united front regarding Brexit or COVID crises. Especially when it came to the Brexit negotiations, EU showed strong coherence, especially compared to the UK government.”
Daniela Vincenti, former chief-editor of Euractiv,
”To create a public sphere we need national, local politicians giving informed opinions on what the EU should and ought to do. The media can only facilitate the debate but cannot create the EU public sphere which must be framed by citizens and political representatives. However, with the advent of social media the role of facilitators has been hijacked by those who do not want to create informed debates but rather usurp the power of information. This is why more public/private investment is needed to maintain independent media which is supposed to offset demagogues power grabbing.”
After the European Parliament elections in June and the new EP and EC taking place, it is worth reflecting on the global role of the Union and the lessons to be drawn from the crises of the last five years.
The European Union has several areas where substantial action is required in the geopolitical arena. The pandemic and its socioeconomic consequences, climate change, the invasion of Ukraine, the Middle East's never-ending story, the energy transition and the drift towards populism in different member states are some challenges to be addressed in 2024 and beyond.
The European Parliament elections in 2024 took place in a period of significant political shifts and challenges. Since the elections of 2019, Europe has witnessed considerable change, including the global COVID-19 pandemic, economic recovery efforts, climate change concerns, the artificial intelligence (AI) agitation, and Brussels’ renewed efforts to become energy independent.
The future evolution of European integration necessarily involves identifying a number of challenges and opportunities over the coming decades. The EU is in a state of political, economic, and social transition. These transitions are uneven with a different impact across the EU, resulting in a heterogeneous political, economic, and social situation across member states. Strong global economic, political, and social factors unevenly reinforce these ongoing transitions.
Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine has caused disaster and devastation across our region, with significant impacts on energy security as a result. It has caused the development of Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. Millions of Ukrainians have fled the country and a third of the population has been displaced.
Putin's war is posing extended challenges not only to Ukraine but across the planet in various areas. It has led to a humanitarian crisis, it is causing a fuel and energy crisis in Europe, and is a huge challenge for global security. As we live in a globalised world, the consequences affect every country, with a new international financial crisis being triggered and the threat of nuclear war being more prevalent than ever.
Although the first edition of Rebranding Europe was triggered by Brexit and its consequences for both the UK and the EU, I thought a second edition to be paramount after the corona crisis, the brutal invasion of Ukraine, and the absolute need of a repositioning for Europe in the world.
REBRANDING EUROPE 2024 is the second fully revised and expanded edition of the 2017 book. It was finalised before the electoral triumph of the rogue real estate agent turned politician to escape prison.
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