From Messina to today: territorial empowerment and Europe’s future

The Draghi and Letta reports have reopened a fundamental debate on the future of the European project. Undertaking a far-reaching reshaping of the EU’s policies is essential in a context marked by total crisis, geopolitical fragmentation, rapid transitions and the urgent need to redefine Europe’s role in the world.

The ensuing appropriate proposals need to be territorialised and localised, brought closer so that they are not hindered by the complexities of European governance or by a mere lack of political will. In other words, they need to be linked to the specific realities of the territories making up the European Union, their stakeholders, capacities and aspirations. Europe has already been subject to intense scrutiny. We now need to move on from saying to doing, to acting in an effective way and implementing policies that unlock the full potential of our Union.

Localising the European project

Europe needs a new narrative for growth and competitiveness – one that is sustainable, inclusive and resilient. However, beyond technical proposals, the Draghi and Letta reports raise a more fundamental question: what Europe do we want?

Answering this question requires the active involvement of territories, regions, cities and citizens. We must foster interterritorial and collaborative interdependence. In this context; the principle of subsidiarity and the territorialisation of the Draghi and Letta reports’ proposals become essential: Europe’s major goal – green transition, digitalisation, social cohesion, the New Single Market and competitiveness – can only be achieved if they are adapted to the local dimension, such as through the territorialisation of the directives, for example.

This is not about applying uniform policies but rather involves – starting from a European framework – fostering their flexible application, thus allowing each territory to develop its own strategies in dialogue and coordination with the common global targets. Adapting European policies to an appropriate local scale – regional or other – will foster citizen engagement, improve the effectiveness and democratic legitimacy of our institutions, and strengthen institutional resilience to complex challenges such as the ones facing us.

Strengthening democracy through citizen engagement

One of the most recurrent criticisms of the European project is its perceived democratic deficit. The sense that decisions are taken by opaque and remote decision-making bodies has fuelled Euroscepticism and citizen dissatisfaction. Empowering and politically reshaping Europe means restoring the central role of citizens in the construction of our common future. This goes beyond voting in European elections; it is about actively participating in the deliberation, planning and implementation processes of European policies. Therefore, territorialisation and subsidiarity are key tools for this necessary re-politicisation of Europe. When citizens perceive that Europe has a direct impact on their daily lives – in mobility, energy, employment, culture and more – they feel part of the project.

We are at a turning point, in a moment of radical change and shifting reference frameworks. The European integration project is experiencing turbulence and the foundations of fraternity and trust on which the project is constructed seem to be teetering. At such times, it is worth recalling the 1955 Messina Conference. After the failure of the European Defence Community, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of what would become the six founding countries of the EU decided to relaunch the European project from an economic perspective, but with a clear political vocation. Seventy years ago, Messina embodied a commitment to a united, supportive and forward-looking Europe.

Today, more than ever, the spirit of Messina calls us to think of Europe as a project of peace, cooperation and shared development. At that time, the founding member states assumed that only together could they overcome the challenges of the 20th century. Today, we must understand that only from the territories, from the grassroots, can we confront the challenges of the 21st century. Rethinking European governance has become essential to successfully face that challenge.

The traditional hierarchical rationale must give way to multilevel dynamics where European institutions, member states and regions work together through participation and coordination mechanisms. Territories must have a voice in defining European priorities and Europe must acknowledge its strategic role in the rolling out of the policies. We must go further: now is the time to create spaces for territorial deliberation, foster institutional innovation and promote a political culture based on cooperation and shared responsibility.

A roadmap for Europe: from reports to local action

The Draghi and Letta reports offer a roadmap to revive and advance the European project from different perspectives.

We must all work together to return to the idea of Europe as a shared project, built from the bottom up, with a transformative vocation. At a time of global uncertainty, Europe needs a citizen-centred, territorial and ethical compass more than ever. And that compass can only be found in the dialogue between great ideas and small realities, between technical reports and territorialised, local voices.

The eAtlantic Foundation embraces Enrico Letta’s approach in his report, which concludes with “A call to action”. In the same way that Foundation’s logo reflects a commitment to the promise of “networking for development” along the Atlantic seaboard, we aim to foster stronger cooperation to advance competitiveness and prosperity, as proposed by Mario Draghi.

The roadmap is clear. Yet progress has been limited so far. It will be easier for us to get the ball rolling if we embrace the idea that ‘localising’ Europe is the path needed to achieving ‘more Europe’. That is precisely the intent of the eAtlantic Foundation, from the Atlantic seaboard.

The views expressed in this #CriticalThinking article reflect those of the author(s) and not of Friends of Europe.