Differentiated integration

Summary:

Non-legislative resolution adopted by the European Parliament's plenary session in January 2019 on the levels of membership differentiation within the European Union.

Further information:

Integrating into the European Union (EU) can vary in pace, territorial scope and degree and may legally take various forms:

• enhanced cooperation among a group of countries;
• permanent structured cooperation;
• a few countries negotiated a permanent opt-out from EU legislation;
• transitional measures applied to new member states.

The resolution takes stock of the differing levels of EU integration among member states, commonly referred to as 'Europe à la carte', 'variable geometry', 'multi-speed Europe' or 'first- and second-class membership'. It also makes a set of recommendations, so that differentiation serves the EU project, rather than endangering it.

MEPs showed their opposition to different levels of integration and called for the end of permanent 'opt-outs' from EU law. MEPs considered differentiation to be compatible with European integration, since it is sometimes required in order to embark on new European projects and allow the necessary flexibility to drive integration forward. However, they refused to consider differentiation 'as an innovative way for the future of the Union' or a 'strategic priority'.

The resolution was backed by the plenary session of the European Parliament on 17 January 2019.

Official

European Parliament: Press Release, 17.01.19: EU integration: MEPs want to end permanent opt-outs from EU law http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20190109IPR23023/

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