by Jean Paul Jacqué
The last summits of the Eurogroup and the European Council of 9-10 December paved the way for a new start in the debate on a two-speed Europe. Both President Sarkozy and Chancellor Merkel envisaged the settling of a Europe composed of a core group around the eurozone within a Europe of twenty-seven. The meeting ended up with the decision to conclude an intergovernmental agreement in which the United Kingdom will not take part. In an article published on 4 November 2011 entitled “Save Europe, divide Europe,” the former legal counsel of the Council Jean-Claude Piris, favored openly a two-speed Europe. It would be set up either in a smooth manner with the use of exemption clauses offered by the treaties, or with the conclusion of a treaty compatible with the Lisbon Treaty in which eurozone members would set up a closer cooperation managed by specific institutions with a separate executive commission and a parliamentary assembly representing national parliaments.
Please click here to read the entire editorial as well as the December Newsletter 2011.