Polish and British visions for the future of the EU

Polish and British visions for the future of the EU: Identifying a joint agenda for long-term reform is a joint report by Open Europe and the Freedom Institute. The report identifies areas of consensus and mutual interest which could form the basis of a common British-Polish agenda for further EU reform in the event the UK remains a member.

Read full version: “Polish and British visions for the future of the EU: Identifying a joint agenda for long-term reform (english version)“

Key recommendations contained in the report

• • Different levels of integration – The UK is not going to join the Euro while Poland will be outside for some time. The EU must accommodate this via a new ‘multi-form’ structure.
  • Eurozone integration must not come at the expense of the rights of non-Eurozone states or the single market – financial, capital and labour market regulation must stay at the EU28 level.
  • The EU must address its crisis of democratic legitimacy – any future changes cannot take place without the consent of national electorates.
  • A focus on expanding single market in services, capital, digital and energy.
  • The EU budget needs modernisation – it ought to be refocused away from agriculture towards research and development and helping to boost economic development.
  • A realistic foreign and security policy – the EU cannot and should not replace NATO but it could help promote stability in its neighborhood with a fresh approach.

  About the authors

  Pawel Swidlicki: Pawel is a policy analyst at Open Europe. He has established himself as an expert on a range of issues from the EU budget, EU regional policy, free movement and the role of national parliaments in EU decision making. He has worked on research projects which informed and shaped policy at the UK and EU level.

  Stephen Booth: Stephen is a co-Director at Open Europe. He has led Open Europe’s research projects on EU regulation, justice and home affairs and the UK’s trade relationship with the EU. Stephen also directed Open Europe’s policy work on EU migration and free movement which became part of the British government’s EU renegotiation package ahead of the referendum.

  Marek Cichocki: Marek is the Editor-in-chief of the magazine New Europe. Natolin Review since 2004. Between 2007 and 2010 he served as Advisor to then President of the Republic of Poland Prof. Lech Kaczyński and was a sherpa during the negotiations over the Lisbon Treaty. He is the resident professor at the Collegium Civitas in Warsaw and a visiting professor in College of Europe Natolin. He is the author of many books, essays, articles and dissertations on international relations.

  Olaf Osica: Olaf is Director for Risk Assessment at Polityka Insight. From 2011 until 2016 he was Executive Director of the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW), and remains Chairman of the OSW Advisory Council. He holds a PhD in social and political science from European University Institute in Florence and is a former visiting fellow of the US State Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France and of GFPS-Polska.
  Open Europe is a non-partisan and independent policy think tank committed to crafting and putting into action solutions to European Union’s most pressing challenges. The Freedom Institute is a politically independent think-tank which aims to draw attention to the most important political topics in Poland and the EU by creating ideas and developing knowledge together with prominent politicians, businessmen and analysts.