This is the ninth in a series of National Reports to be published as part of the new phase of the New Pact for Europe project.* As part of a relatively new member state, the Estonian NPE Reflection Group notes that, while not many citizens understand the mechanics of the EU, a majority sees EU membership as an advantage and the Union itself as a guarantor of peace, safety and prosperity. Drawing on the discussions held amongst the members of the group, the report presents a set of conclusions on how to address the key challenges the Union and member states are facing at the moment, and calls on them to take action to boost the legitimacy of the European integration project.
- Security in general, and Russia in particular, remain high on Estonia’s agenda. The country wants the EU to become more proactive on security issues, and especially on new forms of warfare, such as cyber terrorism and (foreign) state-supported propaganda.
- The mounting number of multiple-level crises and a time of self-reflection have led to a more open debate about the functioning and the future of the EU. Issues such as bureaucratic inefficiency, economic instability, the transparency of governing structures, and the comprehensiveness of various communication channels need to be addressed urgently.
- There is also a growing need to assess and experiment with new models of democracy, explore how new e-tools can influence decision-making and improve civil society engagement both in national and EU affairs.
*After a first successful period in 2013-2015, which included more than 80 events in 17 EU countries and the publication of two major reports, which elaborated five strategic options on the future of the EU, the New Pact for Europe project entered a new phase in 2016-2017. The ultimate aim of this new phase of the NPE project is to work out the details of a wider ‘package deal’ to equip the EU with the tools it needs to meet the internal and external challenges it faces. This proposal will contain solutions generated by connecting the discussions on the key policy challenges, and propose changes in the way the EU and its policies are defined to avoid future fundamental crises.
National Reflection Groups have been created and met specifically for this purpose in ten EU countries (Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia), followed by transnational exchanges between these groups. This national report is the result of the work and discussions of one of these National Reflection Groups.
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