The EU's reactions to the current challenges in the areas of security and trade policy highlight that a resolute and coherent common European foreign policy depends on the political will of Member States and their willingness to overcome their differences. The aim must be for Europeans to jointly consider their international commitment across different policy areas and act accordingly in a strategic manner. But the institutional reforms of the past have not provided the necessary push forward. In this sense, the recommendations for action in this paper are to be understood primarily as a call to Member States to make better use of the existing scope for action within the EU treaties.
Based on the 2024 political guidelines and mission letters to the new European Commissioners, the EU’s approach towards democracy seems to have shifted from a focus on democratic resilience towards democratic security. After a thorough examination of the EU’s 2019-2024 democracy agenda, this study presents recommendations for the next legislative cycle.
This policy paper makes some suggestions as to how reforms could be possible with and without treaty changes and how the EU can preserve its future viability.
