She has lost her lithe figure and has become rather thick around the middle, fattened by bureaucratic procedures. Her fundamental principles of peace and cooperation often get lost in arteries that are clogged up by the cholesterol of detailed technical regulations. The EU, at 50, has lost her youthful confidence and seems hit by a midlife crisis. The clear long-term vision of a Europe cooperating economically and politically across borders to ensure lasting peace has been replaced by short-sightedness and self-doubt that prevents her from seeing the road ahead. As a result individual member states are turning inward, using the arena of national politics to express their doubts and fears about a rapidly changing world. And local politicians are often only too happy to let Brussels carry the blame for issues that have little to do with Europe.
It started modestly with a trade agreement, but the group has now become an economic giant, with a population of nearly half a billion that still isn’t fully conscious of its political weight. It could do more to check the excesses of rampant neo-liberalism and unilateralism in a unipolar world. Instead the group is often perceived to be too eager to embrace the liberal business policies that many European citizens, who were brought up in the era of the welfare state, are fearful of. Intent on protecting its own backyard, the EU in recent years has also too rarely raised its voice against human rights abuses and unfair handling of immigrants.
Tired-looking and dispirited as it may be, the EU still has the power to shape the world we live in. Recently it took the political lead in the fight against global warming. It is also at its best when it keeps diplomatic channels open with countries such as Iran or North Korea to avert crises. For all its flaws, the EU remains one of the most ambitious and exciting projects of the post-World War II era. European public opinion is aware of the shortcomings -- its bureaucracy, its inability to communicate with the man in the street -- but does not always take an accurate measure of its successes.
The fact that the EU has been, and remains, a source of inspiration for countries on the periphery has never been sufficiently understood. The transformation of Eastern Europe, in a relatively short time, should speak for itself. In the same way, the EU continues to provide a roadmap for aspiring members like Turkey or the Balkan states.
Turks are often exasperated with the EU and enthusiasm for membership has been falling. But I believe the EU project has nevertheless planted the seed of expectation in the mind of most Turks. Turks may not necessarily support entry into the group, but they have already taken on board many of the principles the EU embodies. They want better legislation, a more accountable leadership, a legal system that works and more engagement of civil society in the running of the country.
Unless it manages to reform its institutions, the EU will face serious turbulences in the not-too-distant future. The fact that a single member, no matter how small, can veto policy is clearly an anomaly in a group of 27 members. But the EU nonetheless remains a beacon of hope, and we must all hope that it manages to overcome its mid-life blues.
