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It is true that many citizens of Europe want more transparency in the operation of the European institutions. The criticism erupting against Brussel's cumbersome administrative machine is often justified. But we must not forget the most important part of the European adventure. The first and main objective was to bring peace to the continent after a long history of war. This aim has been achieved. We must also keep in mind that in 1945, after World War II , the European continent was completely devastated. Today, 28 countries are united by the fundamental values and principles of democracy and freedom.  And whatever one thinks of the Brexit, this event has increased the cohesion between the other 27 member states. One can infer that the EU's enlargement process is too quick. And this is to the expense of the deepening of the Union. That said, across 10 European nations recently surveyed by the Pew Research Center, a median of 74% say the EU promotes peace, 64% that it promotes democratic values and 55% that it promotes prosperity. These figures look very promising for the European project. The EU is undoubtedly imperfect. It is today considered only as the world's largest trading power. However, in a challenging international context and given the unpredictability of the current US administration and the scale and speed of China's rise, the EU should become a major geopolitical power in the future.

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