Brussels is the answer. As the picture shows the water has inundated the structure that symbolically represents corruption, wrong management and a weak leadership that have ruined a spectacular architecture (European Union institutions).

Is this situation that leads us to the conclusion that maybe there is not strictly necessary to think of a “new brand Europe” but just a reshaped model that delivers a solid institutional framework and reliable leaders.

Frustration regarding financial instability, the threat of uncontrolled movement of people and insecurity generating by a mistaken strategy with Middle East, are undermining the possibility for consolidating the long-term European project. In addition, this situation is being taken as an opportunity for extreme nationalism.

Is it not the political momentum for the exaltation of supranational values but of reassuring national values integrated pacifically into the European project. To be too much ambitious in this particular historical political momentum represents a threat in itself.

Is it true, current European model in terms of leadership and institutions are not working. Brexit its a result and an opportunistic “political move” that exposure that political weakness is the first and most important pillar for addressing this crisis.

Private interests are pushing for changes that liberalized the common market an turn into an open space with bilateral agreements, basically less control. However is precisely through control that guarantees will be assured. In a world of global crisis the strategy must be focused on join action. This is not a mater of national crises demanding international support, but of global instability that has an impact –directly-indirectly- all over the world and in all national systems.

 Thinking of a “brand new” Europe means accepting that the system has not the basis for delivering benefits and specific solutions for crises, which is not the case. Not even Brexit´s supporters were able to pull down the validity of the Union and all the fake statements during campaign were reduced to just negative elements of a situation that all the countries are going through and are demanding changes. Not erase the system. Blame the European Union or any integration model for national challenges is not fair and ends in a simple criticism with no solutions.

Lessons learned for Brexit make us be convinced of the need to reshape the system using the same idea, spirit and structures. However changing current mechanisms. Indeed, currently the EU is has been transformed in a big bureaucratic monster that is killing the essence of an integration philosophy. Its mechanisms of accessibility are becoming more and more intricate therefore, less democratic. Having as a result a distortion of their action and a general perception among the citizenship that is just that: a bureaucratic monster unable to deliver solutions to immediate crises.

Reshaping a successful model by transforming the European Union into a brand new system that delivers confidence and solutions through steady action, a flexible system and a solid leadership.

*Is it really euro skepticism the challenge ahead? https://thesustainabilityreader.com/2017/03/08/is-it-really-euro-skepticism-the-challenge-ahead/

*Pic: Galleries St. Hubert, Brussels, Belgium