Another unification of Europe

There have been several efforts to unite Europe over the centuries. Some of them have been attempted through royal marriages and diplomatic manoeuvring, but most of them have been tried through the use of swords and guns. The recent unification of Europe has been accomplished by the export of laws and administrative procedures: the famous, or infamous, acquis communautaire. The end result is impressive: the enormous space comprising 27 EU states is a zone of prosperity, democracy and peace. What lies behind this extraordinary success, and how can the momentum be sustained? This article argues that the prudent application of EU power and the ever-growing synergy of norms between different parts of the continent have been behind Europe's successes. However, enlargement has changed the European Union beyond recognition and it is therefore important for the Union to adjust to that change. The Union should not only endorse more liberal economic policies to stimulate growth and embark on novel foreign policies. It must also re-think the entire system of European governance and invent new ways of securing democratic legitimacy across the ever-larger European space