Is this the death knell for EU freedom of movement?
Juncker admits union may be scaled back to single market
THE EU could be forced to abandon core ideals such as free movement if it wants to survive after Brexit, Jean- Claude Juncker hinted yesterday.
In a remarkable admission of the threats facing Brussels, the European Commission president said the bloc could potentially become nothing but the single market.
Mr Juncker suggested he had been forced to retreat from his long-held beliefs that more power should be handed to Brussels, over fears that more disaffected countries could leave.
His pessimistic view was laid out in a ‘survival guide’ spelling out how the EU will operate after Britain quits.
The document, which gave five possible scenarios for Europe’s future, described how a fully federal system – a long-held ideal for EU leaders – risked ‘alienating parts of society which feel that the EU lacks legitimacy’.
The possibility of allowing member states to depart from the bloc’s core principles will prove deeply embarrassing for the EU, which had resisted Britain’s demands for less rigid controls before the Brexit vote.
While aides admitted Mr Juncker had been inspired to draw up the document by the UK’s referendum result, the paper did not directly reference Brexit.
Instead, it contained only a brief suggestion that the bloc faced unprecedented challenges because ‘ one of our member states voted to leave the Union’.
Despite Mr Juncker’s insistence that Brexit could be a ‘ birth moment’ for the continent, pro-- EU figures yesterday accused him of turning his back on Europe.
Many in Brussels had wanted the former prime minister of Luxembourg to set out plans for even deeper integration and a move towards a federal system.
But in a shock admission over the current political climate in Europe, which has seen a widespread surge in support for antiEU parties, Mr Juncker admitted such a move could be disastrous. He also suggested disagreements among members may leave the EU to operate solely as a single market, and that the ‘free movement of workers and services is not fully guaranteed’ in this case.
Mr Juncker indicated that he preferred a ‘ multi- speed’ approach, backed by German chancellor Angela Merkel, which would allow member states to pick and choose areas of integration. However, Gianni Pittella, socialist leader in the European Parliament and a key ally of Mr Juncker, described the intervention as a ‘mistake’.
He added: ‘We cannot accept the sacrifice of a common European future as a result of the shortsightedness of the Council or because of a fear of possible outcomes of national elections. It’s a mistake to simply present five possible scenarios for the future of the EU, instead of singling out a strong and comprehensive choice to fortify ourselves against the current storm we are facing.’
Chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt called on leaders to reject ‘Europe a la carte’, adding: ‘If we want Europe to work again, we need more unity.’