United Europe: as national borders blur
In the column series “What the world would be like, if...” Elcke Vels explores intriguing scenarios that deviate from the status quo. Each column is supported by AI-generated images.
Published on January 25, 2025
Everything new is wildly interesting! That's the motto of our DATA+ expert, Elcke Vels. She writes stories about AI and how it affects our society, has a series on cyber security, and interviews Dutch innovation maestros. In her “What if...” column, she also explores intriguing scenarios that deviate from the status quo.
A Walkman, barbies, and empty drink cartons in the back seat: as a child, the trip back from vacation seemed endless. This time we were driving back from Austria. My father was behind the wheel, my mother looked at the road map. My big sister and I alternated audiobooks with endless bickering. 'We're almost there,' my mother soothes. I look up and watch us drive into the Netherlands from Belgium. That moment always felt special. It gave me a sense of coming home.
Our identity is linked to the country we live in. Many Dutch are proud of the healthy cycling culture, or the Dutch sobriety that characterizes us. From a broader perspective, many may be proud of our European membership. After all, Europe is a continent where much is well organized. A piece of earth where we work reasonably well together. We stand shoulder to shoulder in support of Ukraine and tackle the climate crisis together.
That unity is essential. The world is increasingly unsettled: the war in Ukraine is dragging on, cyber threats are increasing, and competition with China for technological dominance is heating up. While we progress in many areas, I also see the downside. Especially when preserving startups and innovative technologies, Europe sometimes gets stuck in its bureaucracy and fragmented regulations.
So, I wonder, would it be more convenient if country borders blurred in Europe? What, if... Europe became one big country? A bit like the United States, with all 27 member countries acting as states? And how would that affect the development of sustainable innovations and innovative technology?
A (supra)national anthem and little paperwork
Fast forward to 2100. The name of the country with 449.2 million inhabitants (2024): United Europe. We have a flag, a parliament, and even a (supra)national anthem. The lives of people and businesses on this piece of earth have become a lot more pleasant. The innovation climate in United Europe, for example, has greatly improved. We have become leaders in the field of hydrogen, and developments in state-of-the-art wind turbines and solar cell technology are moving at lightning speed. Before Europe acted as a country, many young European companies were attracted to the U.S.. It was always easier to raise capital there because products developed in one state could be sold throughout the country without additional paperwork. So that is now a thing of the past.
A unified energy network
We also managed to make a breakthrough in smart grids for energy. Smart energy grids run from Portugal to Poland. All European states are seamlessly connected. These networks distribute wind and solar energy most efficiently, depending on supply and demand - thanks to shared databases. This improves energy security for millions of Europeans. Moreover, addressing the climate crisis has gained momentum with the spread of renewable energy.
A continent-wide care system
In addition, with the advent of United Europe, we have made huge leaps in healthcare. Imagine a continent-wide system supported by one large, ultra-secure database where the medical data of all European citizens is securely stored - and shared between healthcare providers.
Suppose you book a trip to Romania. You enjoy the trip, discovering beautiful cities and tasting local specialties. But then, at an unfortunate moment, you slip on a slippery sidewalk and break your foot. Don't panic: the hospital has instant access to your medical history: previous injuries, allergies, medication use - everything is safely in the system.
Numerous improvements
In addition to healthcare and energy improvements, United Europe has made great strides in many other areas. Thanks to shared databases, we can now train AI much more efficiently, leading to smart solutions in traffic, urban planning, and agriculture, for example. Education has also undergone a digital revolution, with personalized learning through AI and online platforms becoming the norm. A Dutch business administration student wants to do an internship at FIAT in Italy? No problem. At the touch of a button, the Italian state has instant access to the necessary data. Away with all that annoying hassle.
The national anthem
The more I think about it, the more I realize: actually, the idea of United Europe is not so crazy at all. Although, of course, we will have to deal with enormous political complexity. I also very much wonder whether the U.S. and China would accept it, given the influence our new country would have on the world stage.
Last but not least, we need to agree on a national anthem. Whatever the final choice, it may be a little more uptempo than the Dutch national anthem if you ask me!
If the Internet, our lifeline, suddenly breaks down
In the column series “What the world would be like, if...” Elcke Vels explores intriguing scenarios that deviate from the status quo. Each column is supported by AI-generated images.