A new mechanism for enhanced cooperation within the enlarged Union

The enlargement negotiations were completed last December and, at the time of writing, the draft Treaty has been finalised. It still has to be signed and ratified, of course, which requires the agreement of the governments and peoples of the 25 Member States, but it is no exaggeration to say that the “Greater Europe” already exists, and I am deeply gratified by this. We now have a clear mind to focus seriously on the functioning of this enlarged Union and on how it can overcome the dual challenge of size and diversity, which, like all challenges, is both difficult and promising.

Who can fail to see that, on many important issues, we do not all – yesterday as 15, tomorrow as 25 – share the same vision of the goals and pace of European integration? I have spent a great deal of energy trying to illustrate what the broad outlines of a common project for Europe with 25 and, tomorrow, with 30 members could reasonably be: establishing an area of active peace, promoting the economic and social conditions for sustainable development, and deepening the dialogue that enables us to enrich ourselves through our spiritual and cultural diversity. If I understand correctly, however, this is a project that will seem too limited to some and too ambitious to others.