“There is no alternative to the EU Constitution!” Having replaced the Constitution by the Treaty of Lisbon, this remains the mantra of leading EU politicians and high-ranking civil servants. For them, deeper EU integration is inevitable.
Alternatives exist, however. During the “reflection-period”, many concepts for the future of Europe were submitted. Unfortunately, EU institutions have yet to put these possibilities to consideration and/or debate. This has not stopped politicians, think-tanks, professors and activists from developing and highlighting their suggestions for a fairer, more democratic Europe.

Flexible Europe

Bruno S. Frey's FOCJ

This plan suggests the possibility of partial entry into the European Union. This avoids one all-encompassing, all-or-nothing decision to accept the entire “acquis communautaire”.

Multi-speed Europe

Multi-speed Europe

This vision allows for member states to enter deeper European integration at their own pace. The European Union does not need rigid rules that stress harmonization. The model is also known as “Europe a la carte” or “Variable Geometry”, and with its application, member states would have a number of common objectives but could select policies to implement.

Liberal Europe

Vaclav Klaus on “What is Europeism?”

In the place of rigid harmonization, this plan is based on the intergovernmental cooperation of individual European countries. This means significant control over political, social and economic systems is left to national authorities. For more information, read 'What is Europeism?' or 'What Should Not be the Future For Europe?', published by the Centre for Economics and Politics, 2006.

Federalist Europe

Joschka Fischer's Europe of nation-states

A European Union of nation-states would create a Parliament that resembles the US Congress in some respects. This would mean a legislative “chamber of nations” that would have more competencies than the American Senate and a Commission that would be much weaker than the White House. Moreover, it would also include a European Court with a level of influence comparable to the Supreme Court.

Social Europe

ETUC Social Europe

The European Social Model is a vision of society that combines sustainable economic growth with ever-improving living and working conditions. In the ETUC's view, social dialog, collective bargaining and workers' protection are crucial factors in promoting innovation, productivity and competitiveness. This is what distinguishes Europe, where post-war social progress has matched economic growth, from the US model, where a small number of individuals have benefited at the expense of the majority.