EU: white paper on the future of Europe. Juncker, “five scenarios for the 27-EU”

(Brussels) “Sixty years ago, the founding fathers of Europe chose to unite the continent through the strength of the law instead of armed force. We can be proud of what we have achieved so far”. Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the EU Commission, shows up in the floor of the European Parliament in Brussels to present the “White paper on the future of Europe”. In front of the MEPs, gathered for their plenary session, he explains the key points of the document, about thirty pages of it, with a chronicle of the integration process since the Second World War, from the Ventotene Manifesto and the first steps of the journey to the establishment of the European Community. This is followed by reflections on the current challenges that the European Union is facing, then 5 “scenarios”, in other words the potential ways that the EU can go in the next few years. It is of course a “27-EU”, the United Kingdom having been left out of it, while prospectively the doors are still open to more accessions, especially from the Balkans. Juncker says: “As the 60^th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome reminds us, the time has come for a united 27-Europe to shape its future. The time has come for leadership, unity and common willingness”.