ABSTRACT
At the heart of the challenges that the European Union (EU) is facing lie questions such as, what do we collectively want the EU to do? What government structures and policies do we need to support these ambitions? Which of the policies and competences (powers) could and perhaps should be best developed and expanded at the EU level, and which may be better dealt with at a lower level of government? How can we ensure that good governance principles such as democracy, effectiveness and efficiency are adhered to? This chapter focuses in particular on the economic and monetary integration dimension. It points to a window of opportunity that has opened due to the changes in leadership in the EU institutions, the (sort of) closing of the Brexit dossier, and a renewed sense of urgency for increased integration generated by the COVID-19 crisis. It argues that the EU needs to seize the moment, so as to develop further the EU institutional architecture sooner rather than later. Together with an assessment of the 2017 European Commission White Paper on the Future of Europe, I conclude that deeper economic integration, in one way or another, is likely on the horizon.
