Deep and Wide

The Malta Independent

Deep and Wide

It will not be long before realisation reaches Brussels that in trying the simultaneous exercise of widening and deepening the EU,` they are trying to catch the wind.

The suggestion of restructuring the EU into some form of two-tier model, though officially still shunned by the` Brussels Commission that covertly favours a federalist model, is being heard with pronounced repetition from respected quarters.

Indeed if political convenience demands embracing former communist countries within the EU fold, it is totally impractical to expect these countries to absorb the whole corpse of the acquis communitaire in a short time prior to membership anywhere near the next 5 years.

Poland on its own would absorb so` much funds from the EU budget to finance its huge agricultural sector that it renders it inevitable for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to be re-designed prior to enlargement. This is a very delicate area where Governments of current members states that` mean to retain their domestic political support would be hard put to come to terms with such an instant` re-definition of CAP.

On the other hand enlargement without including Poland in the first wave would defeat the political argument that underpins` the EU`s eastwards enlargement in the first place.

Something will have to give. And if the Danes will vote against the referendum for including their country in the Euro-zone when they vote on 28th September then a de facto two-speed EU would start to exist.` Opinions polls in Denmark are showing that what started as a safe referendum for the Danish Government that is promoting the inclusion of the Danish Kroner in the EMU, is now assuming great air of uncertainty. Opposition to `euroising` the Kroner is gaining the upper hand in recent opinion polls.

If the Danes vote no it is unlikely that that Sweden and UK would vote in favour or that indeed the matter will be brought to a referendum in these countries anywhere in the near future.

The creation of a two speed Europe would solve many of our extreme positions in the EU debate. Whether it would be called second-tier membership, limited membership, special arrangements or Switzerland in the Mediterranean essentially they are all variants of the same theme.

A development like this could facilitate congruence of` our two political schools. They could both claim victory;` one for some sort of membership the other for non-full membership!

Alfred Mifsud