Four futures of Europe

Abstract

Europe is at a crossroads. The enlargement with ten new members forces the European Union to reform its decision making process and to reconsider its policies. At the same time, developments such as ageing force EU member states to reform their welfare states. Read also the accompanying press release .Where will this bring the European Union and its members states ten or twenty years from now? And how should policy makers deal with this uncertainty when deciding about policies with long-lasting consequences? This study develops four scenarios on the future of Europe. They serve as tools for analysing these questions. Moreover, the study elaborates on the policy agenda of international organisations and European governments in response to the various challenges during the next two decades.