Integrating Diversity in the European Union

2026-07-22

The challenge of Integrating Diversity in the European Union, InDivEU, is back on the EU agenda as it strives to forge a post-crisis future, respond to Brexit and reach out to European citizens. Europe’s Union has been under assault from populist political entrepreneurs who have mobilized distrust of and opposition to the EU. Hence the urgency of building the next phase on solid foundations. Differentiated integration (DI) is a compelling issue in deliberations on the Future of Europe. InDivEU has built a consortium of some of Europe’s premier research universities and outstanding scholars of DI to address the challenges facing the EU and commits to supplying robust evidence to support policy. The aim of InDivEU is to create a comprehensive knowledge base on DI of relevance to Europe’s policy makers. This work will have a direct impact on the work of AFCO in the EP, the Commission planning unit, prime ministers offices, European Affairs Committees and numerous civil society nodes. InDivEU will: 1. produce a comprehensive reappraisal and re-assessment of DI; 2. develop and test a range of models and scenarios, based on a catalogue of design principles, for the future use of DI; 3. create a DI Manual to support policy makers in designing future DI solutions; 4. evaluate existing policy proposals for DI and draft proposals for DI and other forms of flexibility as an input into the European debate based on four InDivEU unique data sets, tool kit and scenarios. The project’s foundations are built by establishing the normative criteria for a fair system of DI and by critically analysing the constitutional and institutional architecture of DI. InDivEU will complete two unique data bases, EUDIFF 1 & 2, on the uses of DI and two data sets on public opinion and flexible implementation. This is complemented by zooming in on key policy fields and on EU relations with its neighbours. InDivEU includes thorough analysis of the DI preferences of citizens, parties and governments.

Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein, United Kingdom, Czechia, Türkiye, Belgium, Netherlands, Croatia, Poland

2026-02-01