It is clear to everyone in the room, especially after the penetrating story of retired admiral Rob Bauer, that the world around us is changing at lightning speed. Geopolitical tensions, technological breakthroughs and internal divisions are putting the EU under unprecedented pressure. While citizens are looking for something to hold on to, the European project seems to have stalled. According to In 't Veld, it is time to rebuild the foundation, because sticking plasters no longer works.
With her speech, she put her finger on the sore spot: "If we want to protect our freedom, security and prosperity, Europe must be reinvented. Not with cosmetics, but with far-reaching structural reforms. Europe must adapt to the new reality, otherwise it risks becoming irrelevant. It may still look stable on the outside," she continues, "but in reality it is a ruin on the inside."
And according to In 't Veld, that has everything to do with the lack of attention for Europe. "Administrative issues in the Netherlands fill the news every day. Trump is all over the news. But about how Europe works? Dead silence. The European institutions have become a blind spot. While at the same time people risk their lives to gain access to 'boring' Europe, we keep it for granted," she emphasises. "If Trump teaches us anything, it is how important a robust democracy is. So why don't we take a critical look at our own?"
In 't Veld notes that Europe is still governed by a treaty that originated in 2000. Long before social media, the financial crisis and the war in Ukraine. The world has changed. The Union has changed. But for In 't Veld, one thing is clear: "The EU administration is stuck in the last century."
According to In 't Veld, the right of veto is one of the biggest democratic problems. "One country can block everything. Orbàn is only the symptom of a sick system in which national interests always win. But the Netherlands, France and Belgium have also been guilty of sabotaging European decisions. The Netherlands is blocking Schengen expansion. France torpedoes a trade deal with South America. And Belgium almost sabotaged an agreement with Canada."
According to In 't Veld, this turns the European Council, intended as a coordinating consultation, into an elusive power without democratic control. Formally, the body is not allowed to make laws, but in practice it rules by decree. "Just like Trump. A system in which 27 government leaders operate like royalty without accountability is not a democracy."
The internal market is officially the pride of the EU, but In 't Veld sees a lot of cracks in practice. This is partly due to the countless differences in taxes and rules that make doing business across the border unnecessarily complicated. As a result, according to IMF calculations, the costs of the EU are as great as sky-high import tariffs. "The internal market is not failing due to a lack of knowledge or money," emphasises In 't Veld. "There is a lack of political courage. Because how is it possible that there is still no single European air traffic area, a pan-European train network and a digital infrastructure that makes us independent?" she asked the audience to answer immediately: "National egos stand in the way of our collective progress."
For example, Europe is dangling at the bottom in the battle for digital dominance. China and the US are leading the way in AI and big tech, while European startups are going under, she sums up. "American tech giants are acquiring promising European companies, while European laws such as the Digital Services Act are being applied slowly and toothlessly. Even initiatives such as Gaia-X, intended to guarantee European cloud sovereignty, are undermined because American players have too much of a say in the pie."
In addition, the EU has 27 armies, but without a common strategy. "And then Europe will remain vulnerable," says In 't Veld. "A billion for defence sounds impressive, but without vision it is a waste of money. The Americans provide the equipment, Europe pays and watches. And the increased defence budgets lack democratic oversight. Parliaments are sidelined, control is minimal." According to In 't Veld, the scandals surrounding expense claims complement the institutional chaos in which Europe finds itself.
At the same time, the implementation of judgements of European judges is declining dramatically. "Von der Leyen ignores the Court of Justice and Germany ignores asylum legislation. Government leaders openly attack the European Court when it interferes with their policy. "In short; the legal checks and balances are crumbling, just like in the US. Judges are under political pressure and infringement proceedings are hardly ever started. As a result, the independent judiciary is being eroded and authoritarian tendencies are rarely mentioned by name. "If member states ignore laws with impunity," says In 't Veld, "then we lose the core of our Union."
Mario Draghi stated that Europe must invest 800 billion annually to remain competitive: Do this, or it's a slow agony. "He's right," says In t' Veld resolutely. "Defence, the economy, digital resilience and the rule of law: they all require European answers. National governments are not going to give them. The EU must change fundamentally, or it will remain stuck in powerlessness." According to In 't Veld, structural reforms are inevitable. "History shows that Europe is capable of major changes. This is another one of those moments. We can't keep waiting. Civil society organisations, citizens and governments must speak out. The future of Europe is at stake," warns In 't Veld.
In the final minutes of her speech, In 't Veld called for this time to prevent our continent from walking towards the abyss while sleeping. "Europe is at a crossroads. Do we get stuck in the past or do we choose a new course? What is needed is political courage. And a Union that dares to reinvent itself."
"Only by making courageous choices can we make the EU future-proof," concludes In 't Veld. "The time for hesitation is over. We have to dare now. With vision and courage, we can make Europe a leader in freedom, security and prosperity again."
Text: Barbara van der Rest / Image: Ellen Jonges