The year 2018, the chance not to be missed by Europe

Next year will bring about his unexpected events and concerns. But the fact remains that the year 2018 will be a year of relative calm for Europe, providing a rare EU opportunity to make significant progress in deeper and longer-term challenges. Not to be lost

By Anna Palacio

MARDRID has become a cliche to declare, every December, that next year will be a crucial year for the European Union. The model is known: Europe has spent 12 turbulent months filled with events it is not prepared for, prepares a response, and vows to solve the deepest structural problems. Next year comes, and Europe is again overloaded by events and is again mired in short-term response to the crisis. Will he break this attitude in 2018?

The short answer is that it should either, at least, can. After nearly a decade of unbroken drama, a financial crisis followed by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the annexation of Crime from Russia, the immigrant crisis, the Brex vote and the election of an American president who has questioned the transatlantic relationship of Europe is entering 2018, in a relatively stable position.

Not only is there no crisis on Europe's borders; despite anemic growth, the economic outlook also seems stable. More importantly, elections in the three largest European economies in 2017 did not produce further populist shocks. France now has a pro-European president, with Emmanuel Macron; a major pro-European coalition is emerging in Germany; and the British leadership, though deeply divided, has managed to agree with its EU partners on a bill of divorce, which will serve as a platform for continued negotiations. Italy is the only major EU country scheduled to hold elections in 2018.

Europe now has a golden opportunity to give policymaking priorities, policymaking and implement the reforms it needs in order to lay the foundation for a more prosperous, secure and dynamic future. There is no time to lose: 2019 will be complicated, as it will include European elections, the appointment of a new European Commission and the deadline for a Brex agreement.

This allows 12 months for Europe to make progress in various areas, including joint protection, trade, energy union, Schengen reform and banking union. But joint efforts are especially important in three areas of ʹ one internal, one regional and one global ʹ during the coming year.

The first area where progress is needed is in building the single digital market. In 2015, The EU launched its digital internal market strategy, aimed at launching Europe's digital sector. Since then, there have been some progress, especially, eliminating Rating payments from mobile phone providers.

But creating an environment that will allow European companies to merge and compete at the international level, while facing the seizure of the market by industry giants, will require much work. And, with the mandate of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to end in 2019, this year is the right time to do this.

The second area concerns European relations with Africa. The migration crisis underscored how inextricably connected the futures of two continents are and how inefficient Europe's Africa policy has been to this day. Europe has a long history of uncontrolled promises to change its approach to Africa.

The good news is that there is reason to believe that such a change, and the creation of a productive and results-oriented relationship, can at last be inevitable. After all, Europe is now on its own: Unless it works to create opportunities and stabilise governance in Africa, migration pressures will continue and even intensify. Selfish interest has often resulted in a much stronger motivational tool than altruism.

Success will require an escape from the pantlanism of the past and towards equal co-operation. Africa and Europe must work together, as equal, to move beyond short term solutions, focused on curbing migration flows, and to approve an approach that addresses causes  Radically including, basically, poor governance.

At the recent EU and Africa summit, the beginnings of such an approach can be discovered in a plan to promote private investments rather than aid through guarantee delivery. The question is whether Europe is finally ready to fulfil its promises, investing time, effort and political capital in a deeper commitment and real reform of governance.

The third key area where Europe must make progress in 2018 is to regain its role as a global leader in climate policy. Macron just sent a positive message, but also stressed a wish, especially within the business community, for wider global climate leadership at a time when the US is avoiding international co-operation, especially on environmental issues.

Europe must fill the void left behind by the US. But, with the Paris climate agreement (from which the Trump administration withdrew), now in the crucial phase of adjustment, Europe must act quickly in order to ensure reasonable and responsible co-operation. In particular, considering the mistakes that culminated in the 2009 catastrophic climate meeting in Copenhagen, the EU must work humbly to build different coalitions.

Next year will bring about his unexpected events and concerns. But the fact remains that the year 2018 will be a year of relative calm for Europe, providing a rare EU opportunity to make significant progress in deeper and longer-term challenges. Not to be lost.

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