If the EU wants to have democratic credibility and popular support in the future it is necessary that the European political leaders confront and deal with this general mistrust to the current direction of the EU. Especially concerns about the supremacy of the EU institutions and decision-making over the member states need to be addressed. While European political leaders are developing a global power block, the people of Europe have apparently no identification with the EU, its institutions and the political process.

It seems that the EU is heading in a different direction than its inhabitants. To bridge this gap with the peoples of Europe it will be necessary to put more emphasis on Europe's Christian roots and the Christian-Democrat principles where the EU is founded upon. A consistent application of subsidiarity would result in more orientation on the people and less on the market, more transparency and democratic influence and less detailed EU rules on issues that can be dealt with by the member states. The EU should work to become more a 'union of values' in a way that people will recognise their values in the EU which are rooted in Christianity. This means that the EU should focus more on the burning issues of our planet like global warming, poverty and disease and less on establishing itself as a political or economical power block in the world.

Many people approve and embrace the idea of the European Union but they want to see their influence and values have a place in the Union. The ECPM considers this Irish 'no' as a signal that the future of the European Union and its future policies and direction should be shaped together with the people who live in it.