Belgian leader proposes 'United States of Europe'

In a bid to go against the eurosceptic tide that is dominating EU public opinion, Belgian prime minister Guy Verhofstadt has pleaded for the creation of a federal "United States of Europe."

Mr Verhofstadt, a liberal, on Thursday (1 December) presented his new book, provocatively entitled "The United States of Europe."

In the book, Mr Verhofstadt proposes to break the deadlock that faces the EU after French and Dutch voters voted down the EU constitution, by creating a federal Europe.

In analysing the current mood of EU uneasiness among citizens, Mr Verhofstadt primarily points to fears that European citizens have about globalisation and international crime, but these fears should not lead to calls for "less Europe", Mr Verhofstadt writes.

Pointing to the European Commission's eurobarometer surveys on public opinion "people do not want less Europe, but another Europe", he states.

People want the EU to do more in foreign affairs, and do less unnecessary regulation that, for example "decides how French cheese should be made."

He pleads for a "European social and economic government", which should set minimum and maximum standards for, for example, greater flexibility in labour markets, pension age and workers' protection.

The European Union - a term which the Belgian politician keeps using next to "United States of Europe" - should have an autonomous budget financed from taxes like VAT, which it should use to boost spending on research and development.

The EU should further have its own president, foreign minister, army and prosecutor.

Mr Verhofstadt points to the fact that in the history of the United States of America, not all states immediately adopted the federalist constitution drafted in 1787, but today, "it is clear...that the choice for the federal model was the right one."

As declarações de Verhofstadt são deveras interessantes. A maior parte das medidas que defende no âmbito dos EUE são perfeitamente legítimas, e nas quais me revejo inteiramente. A flexibilização do mercado laboral e uma reforma social e económica nesta Europa são projectos que terão de ser implementados mais cedo ou mais tarde. Também concordo quando diz que os europeus anseiam por uma nova Europa, e sobretudo por uma Europa mais coesa. Todavia, tenho sérias dúvidas que esse desejo seja a passagem abrupta para um Estado Federal. Não é uma ideia que me choque, bem pelo contrário, mas a avaliar pelas características inerentes aos diversos países da UE, é um projecto de tal forma arrojado (e arriscado), que dificilmente poderá ser aceite por certos países. É certo que nem todos os estados na América aceitaram a constituição de uma só vez, acabando no futuro por aceitarem, mas as circustâncias eram bem diferentes das de hoje. Não digo se piores ou melhores, digo diferentes.