Andrew Sciberras

It seems that the opportunities provided by the Lisbon Treaty are going to waste. It is still early days for the new president and foreign representative but the choice of Van Rompuy and Ashton in particular speaks volumes. It is another tell, or big hint if you will, of the continuous struggle between those that desire a strong Europe, capable of setting a global agenda, and those that have an interest in seeing the EU fragmented and weak.

But this talk of Europe as a "global superpower" has bad connotations, doesn't it? It brings to mind military force and the lust for global hegemony. Not necessarily so. In a post-American world we need a strong Europe for many reasons. Europe can diplomatically assert itself in the Middle East and for once snub its trans-Atlantic buddy by taking Israel to Court for war crimes. Europe must never forget that it once was a shining beacon of human rights. Europe's miserable failure in Copenhagen (home turf) was also a disaster. Where is the Europe that does not give in to big industry and greedy states such as the US and China? Unfortunately, Dalli's recent impasse on the cultivation of GMO's has set a dangerous precedent and cast a dark shadow on the Commission.

I think the time has come to swallow our pride. If Europe wants to be strong, it needs to be united. It needs to have one face and if it wants to steer back to the course of economic, social and environmental prosperity, both internally and globally, I believe that the answer is to take European federalism to the next level.