The magnetism of "More Europe"

Although the principle of subsidiarity was established in EU law by the Treaty of Maastricht back in 1992, strong forces always pull the EU towards more integration. The daily news from Brussels report new needs and possibilities for more Europe, seldom less.

To day EU Observer highlights the plans Germany and France have drawn up for closer EU defence cooperation. The Franco-German paper says, according to Le Figaro, that “in the context of a deteriorating security environment … it is high time to reinforce our solidarity and European defence capabilities in order to more effectively protect the citizens and borders of Europe”. This is not surprising, security and defense was (along with investments and initiatives for youth) designated as priority areas at the Ventotene meeting between Chancellor Merkel, President Hollande and PM Renzi. 

And EurActiv writes that pan-European tax is on the table after Brexit. Delegates from around the EU last week met in Brussels to discuss the possibilities for budget reform, an issue previously blocked by the United Kingdom.

The interparliamentary conference raised a number of proposals for the reform of the EU’s financing, including the creation of a European tax. This is an extremely sensitive subject, as member states jealously protect their fiscal sovereignty. And decisions of this nature must be made unanimously.

Now that the main opponent of endowing the Union with its own resources is out of the way, the question can move forward. And it is becoming more and more urgent. ...

 Among the possible schemes for feeding the European budget supported by MEPs are the implementation of a levy on states’ tax revenues or the creation of a pan-European carbon tax or “Eurovignettes” for road users.

“The idea is to use existing taxes or those created under the community structure – on environmental or digital matters – so as to give the institutions room to manoeuvre to use this revenue,” said Lamssoure

a veteran French MEP who is member of the high-level group on own resources (HLGOR). 

Finally in the EurActiv article Lamssoure tells that

beyond suggesting new sources of revenue, the group must also come up with proposals for missions which the EU could do without. “The EU must concentrate on its core activities and install strict filters on actions that can be performed at national level. We will insist on the subsidiarity principle"...

On the other hand, “certain activities are not managed satisfactorily by the member states (the fight against terrorism, military operations), and could be strengthened inside the EU,” he added.

May be the HLGOR-group will present some proposals for how filters on actions "that can be performed at national level" can work. But it seems quite typical for the EU that the need for subsidiarity is described in general only and not with specific examples.