The Future of European Integration

“How to reconcile the EU’s enlargement and reform with its cohesion in a turbulent world? This is a dilemma that eminent European experts look at from different vantage points.”
— Marek Belka , former Prime Minister of Poland

“Once a model of regional integration, Europe has been severely tested by a series of geopolitical shocks. The authors map out a clear path for future European integration, grounded in rigorous economics and political science and a clear‑eyed assessment of past successes and failures.”
— Benoît Cœuré , Former member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank, President of the French Competition Authority

"Deepening European integration is now more urgent than ever, given the fraying of Trans-Atlantic relations. The contributors to this volume lay out a much-needed plan."
— Barry Eichengreen , University of California, Berkeley, US

The European Union has reached a crossroads. Its future development — even its survival — faces fundamental challenges in a turbulent global environment. As unity and effective action are imperative, the EU’s genuine renewal can no longer be postponed. By discussing the necessary reforms and policies to address new challenges and harness emerging opportunities, leading academic and policy experts contour a new narrative for European integration. This open-access book will be relevant to students, researchers, and policymakers interested in comparative and international economics and European studies.

István P. Székely is a retired Director of the European Commission. He is also Co-Editor-in-Chief of Acta Oeconomica,  and an Honorary Professor at Corvinus University, Budapest, Hungary.

Péter Halmai is Professor of Economics at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics and the National University of Public Service, Budapest, Hungary. He is also a Jean Monnet Professor and a full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (HAS) as Chair of the Academy’s Section of Economics and Law.