<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The EU has many supranational accomplishments to its credit. Frictions nonetheless exist within the EU because some members want to rollback parts of the consensus (“less Europe”) and others want to expand them (“more Europe”). The conflict cannot be amicably resolved as EU leaders are trying to do in a one-track supranational regime because both factions disagree about whether confederation or federation is best. A solution in a one-track system requires one side to capitulate to the other. This is why the EU is at an impasse. However, the conflict is easily resolved by switching from a one-track to a multi-track supranational system that allows advocates of “more Europe” and “less Europe” to do as they like in some areas, while acting collectively wherever consensus permits. The EU already accepts the multi-track principle with regard to the euro and non-euro zones, and could restore harmony to the European project by applying the principle more broadly.</p></abstract>

The EU has many supranational accomplishments to its credit. Frictions nonetheless exist within the EU because some members want to rollback parts of the consensus (“less Europe”) and others want to expand them (“more Europe”). The conflict cannot be amicably resolved as EU leaders are trying to do in a one-track supranational regime because both factions disagree about whether confederation or federation is best. A solution in a one-track system requires one side to capitulate to the other. This is why the EU is at an impasse. However, the conflict is easily resolved by switching from a one-track to a multi-track supranational system that allows advocates of “more Europe” and “less Europe” to do as they like in some areas, while acting collectively wherever consensus permits. The EU already accepts the multi-track principle with regard to the euro and non-euro zones, and could restore harmony to the European project by applying the principle more broadly.

Salvaging the European Union: The Inclusive Multi-Track Supranational Option

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

HOLISTICA – Journal of Business and Public Administration

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Salvaging the European Union: The Inclusive Multi-Track Supranational Option"}

The EU has many supranational accomplishments to its credit. Frictions nonetheless exist within the EU because some members want to rollback parts of the...

Salvaging the European Union: The Inclusive Multi-Track Supranational Option

Published Online: Jan 24, 2018

Page range: 7 - 18

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/hjbpa-2017-0019

Keywords
EU, Supranationality, one-track supranationality, multi-track supranationality

© 2017 Steven Rosefielde, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Salvaging the European Union: The Inclusive Multi-Track Supranational Option

Published Online: Jan 24, 2018

Page range: 7 - 18

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/hjbpa-2017-0019

KeywordsEU, Supranationality, one-track supranationality, multi-track supranationality

© 2017 Steven Rosefielde, published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
EU, Supranationality, one-track supranationality, multi-track supranationality