From Bratislava to Rome The European Council’s role in shaping a common future for EU-27 IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service Authors: Ralf Drachenberg and Suzana Anghel with Conor McGlynn European Council Oversight Unit PE 598.613 - April 2017 From Bratislava to Rome: The European Council’s role in shaping a common future for EU-27 Abstract The Rome Declaration of 25 March 2017, issued by the Heads of State or Government of the EU-27 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome, marked the end of a process that started after the UK referendum on EU membership on 23 June 2016. The aim of this In-depth Analysis is to assess the outcomes of the various EU-27 and European Council meetings in the period between the Bratislava summit of 16 September 2016 and the Rome summit of 25 March 2017, in relation to the objectives laid out in the Bratislava Declaration and Roadmap. The analysis shows that substantial progress has been made on the Bratislava commitments for all three policy priorities listed – migration, security, and the economy. It also reflects on how the Rome Declaration and Bratislava process were shaped by the overall context of the growing concerns of EU citizens and their attitude towards the EU and demonstrates how the views of the different EU institutions and the various Member States have converged during this process, leading to a consensual Rome Declaration. EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service The European Council shaping a common future for EU-27 AUTHOR(S) Ralf Drachenberg and Suzana Elena Anghel, with Conor McGlynn, European Council Oversight Unit, EPRS, European Parliament. To contact the Unit, please email: [email protected] ABOUT THE PUBLISHER This paper has been drawn up by the European Council Oversight Unit of the Directorate for Impact Assessment and European Added Value, within the Directorate–General for Parliamentary Research Services of the secretariat of the European Parliament. LINGUISTIC VERSIONS Original: EN This document is available on the internet at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank DISCLAIMER AND COPYRIGHT This document is prepared for, and addressed to, the Members and staff of the European Parliament as background material to assist them in their parliamentary work. The content of the document is the sole responsibility of its author(s) and any opinions expressed herein should not be taken to represent an official position of the Parliament. Reproduction and translation for non-commercial purposes are authorised, provided the source is acknowledged and the European Parliament is given prior notice and sent a copy. © European Union, 2017. Manuscript completed in April 2017. Brussels © European Union, 2017. PE 598.613 ISBN 978-92-846-0870-6 doi:10.2861/935772 QA-04-17-346-EN-N PE 598.613 2 From Bratislava to Rome Contents Contents ................................................................................................................................................................3 List of Figures.......................................................................................................................................................4 List of tables..........................................................................................................................................................4 Executive summary .............................................................................................................................................5 Introduction..........................................................................................................................................................6 1. Citizens' expectations paving the way to Rome ..........................................................................................8 1.1 Citizens' expectations and policy concerns ...........................................................................................8 1.2 Citizens' expectations and the future of Europe...................................................................................9 2. The road to Rome: The future of EU-27...................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Phase one: Diagnostics and reflection.................................................................................................. 11 2.2 Phase two: Deliberation and ‘breaking taboos’................................................................................... 12 2.3 Phase three: Constructing a long-term vision ..................................................................................... 13 3. The road to Rome: EU policy priorities ...................................................................................................... 15 3.1 Informal meeting of 27 Heads of State or Government in Bratislava of 16 September 2016........ 15 3.2 European Council of 20-21 October 2016............................................................................................. 19 3.3 European Council of 15 December 2016 .............................................................................................. 20 3.4 Informal European Council of 3 February 2017.................................................................................. 22 3.5 European Council of 9 March 2017...................................................................................................... 22 3.6 Policy priorities analysis ........................................................................................................................ 23 4. Rome Declaration .......................................................................................................................................... 26 4.1 Rome Declaration: A vision for ten years ............................................................................................ 26 4.2 From Bratislava to Rome: Shaping the EU's future............................................................................ 27 4.3 Rome Declaration: Changes and continuation10 years after the Berlin Declaration..................... 28 5. General analysis............................................................................................................................................. 30 5.1 Delivering on policy priorities and the future of the EU: Two sides of the same coin.................. 30 5.2 One or more 'engines': multiple actors and their role(s).................................................................... 32 5.3 Outlook..................................................................................................................................................... 35 Annex .................................................................................................................................................................. 36 Further reading .................................................................................................................................................. 38 PE 598.613 3 The European Council shaping a common future for EU-27 List of Figures Figure 1: Process leading to the Rome Declaration and Agenda ..................................................................6 Figure 2: Responses to the question 'My voice counts in the EU' (Source: Eurobarometer 86) ................8 Figure 3: Political concerns of EU citizens (Source: Eurobarometer 86).......................................................8 Figure 4: Trust in institutions (Source: Eurobarometer 86)............................................................................9 Figure 5: Attitudes about the future of the EU (Source: Eurobarometer 86) ............................................. 10 Figure 6: Key developments in the debate on the future of......................................................................... 11 Figure 7: Main meetings of EU leaders from Bratislava to Rome ............................................................... 15 Figure 8: Bratislava Declaration and Roadmap............................................................................................. 15 Figure 9: Topics addressed by the European Council of 20-21 October 2016............................................ 19 Figure 10: Topics addressed by the European Council of 15 December 2016 ........................................... 21 Figure 11: Topics addressed by the 9 March 2017 European Council ........................................................ 23 Figure 12: Inputs shaping the Rome Declaration and Agenda ................................................................... 27 Figure 13: Policy topics addressed by the ...................................................................................................... 31 Figure 14: Topics addressed by the formal European Council meetings between Bratislava and Rome .............................................................................................................................................................................. 31 List of tables Table 1: Summary of the main objectives and concrete measures in the policy areas ............................. 16 Table 2: Bratislava Roadmap timeline for European Council follow-up on main policy issues ............ 18 Table 3: European Council's attention to Bratislava policy commitments ................................................ 24 Table 4: Origin of the Bratislava commitments and follow-up by the European Council