2016 Benefit in Honor of Pascal Lamy
General Director of the World Trade Organization (2005 - 2013) and EU Trade Commissioner (1999 - 2004), Pascal Lamy talked about the implications of Brexit and key issues for the future of the European Union:
Refugees and migrants:
What can the Union do to get control of its borders, and implement a common asylum policy? Can it influence the war in Syria and work with the border states to moderate the refugee flow? How will the coup in Turkey affect the situation? What should it do to address the long term challenges of economic migration?
Security:
Can the members of Schengen (those who want to preserve Schengen) institute tighter procedures for sharing information and controlling threats?
Rising Populism:
These important problems are compounded by and contribute to the rising tide of populism in the region. Would the Union survive another referendum on Exit (in the Netherlands, for instance)?
Underlying all these issues, and central to their resolution is the question of leadership. Where are the leaders? Can the franca-german duo be revitalized? Are there others -- in the nation states, in the Commission, in the Parliament -- who can take the lead in crafting intelligent responses to these strains?