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# John Palmer's 2006 forecast
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/18831/
- Published: 2006-01-09T17:01:58.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:34:37.000Z
- Author: openDemocracy Supporters
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:15

[John Palmer](../../../globalization-vision%5Freflections/futurology%5Ftwo%5F3154.jsp#35) looks at the paradox that confronts the [EU](http://europa.eu.int/?ref=opendemocracy.net) in 2006: despite difficulties, EU expansion is set to continue in 2006\. By the end of the year, there will be 27 EU countries, and still more looking to join. With a revitalized economy, and with the EU presidency for the second half of the year, Germany will return to being a key European actor. Austria, EU presidency holders for the first half of 2006, will want to focus on the Lisbon agenda; transatlantic relations with the United States will remain unpredictable, because of instability in the US administration and a decline in US power. A weakened US may necessitate a stronger EU, with some additional forms of shared sovereignty being a critical part of this.