At the occasion of the launch of TGAE's report, June 15 2011 in Brussels,  Elvire Fabry, senior Research Fellow at Notre Europe, signs this article in Public Service Europe.

Extracts:

Member states must start thinking about the future of the EU or risk international irrelevance, writes Elvire Fabry

After such momentous events as the eurozone crisis, the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe and military intervention in Libya, the arrival of "contaminated cucumbers" signals a return to everyday politics in Europe. The fact that the sanitary crisis spread fear across the continent, even among the least threatened nations, makes one wonder: are the petty diatribes currently bouncing between political leaders the product of pent-up resentment? Probably so – these cucumber accusations are most likely an indirect response to both imposed solidarity and never-ending economic angst.

What is certain is that if member states do not start thinking about the European Union's future again, the project as a whole is bound to falter - distracted by a morass of cultural clichés and rising prejudice. The eurozone crisis has not yet ended and avoiding state bankruptcies represents a far more pressing subject for all. Rather than venting frustrations, political leaders should continue focusing on preventing new economic crises.

Read it on Public Service Europe  or download it.

Public_Service_Europe_Elvire_Fabry_01.pdf

Articles by Elvire Fabry :

• "The EU and the World: Shrink or Swim?"
• Interview of Elvire Fabry on the Trio Presidences by Rzeczpospolita
• "Only 'solidarity' can save Europe's economy" article in Public Service Europe
• The contribution of 16 European Think tanks to the Polish, Danish and Cypriot Trio Presidency of the EU
• European solidarity : where do we stand? Should we foster it and how?