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The United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union is bad news, not
only because it deprives the EU of its second-most important member in
terms of GDP – and the leader in terms of military capacity – but also be-
cause the UK decision is merely the most serious expression of a phenom-
enon that can be found across the continent: the tendency to turn back
to the Nation State in response to the EU’s failure to offer a just and bal-
anced solution to the financial and economic crisis, and the fear of globali-
sation which many also identify with the European project. The crisis has
intensified a narrow emphasis on national self-interest, as nobody wants
to share the burden of what they see as other people’s problems.
The challenge facing the EU is of such a magnitude that it is threaten-
ing the most powerful, integrational project our continent has ever
known. In this context, and particularly following the UK’s decision to
leave the EU, it is hardly a surprise that both the European Parliament
and the European Council have recognised the need for a wide-ranging
debate about the future of Europe. It was for this reason that the 27
heads of state or government met in Bratislava in September 2016 (all of
the EU members except for the UK) and again on 25 March 2017 to
celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome and establish guide-
lines for the future of the Union. They will address the issue for a third
time at an important meeting of the European Council in December
2017, following the elections in France and Germany. This, then, is a
crucial moment for the EU, at which it is required not just to deal with
transitory problems but to address and overcome a fundamental chal-
lenge to its very existence.
The crisis has created a legacy of youth unemployment, low salaries
and chronic inequality, striking at the very core of European societies. One
effect has been the unexpected rise of populist parties, particularly those
Introduction. Europe
and globalisation
Diego López Garrido