"Croatia wants the process of Europeanization to continue and expand so as to include the countries in its neighbourhood which all, without exception, want to become members of the European Union and to which the EU itself offered prospects for membership. Further enlargement to the countries of the Western Balkans is Croatia’s strategic interest. Croatia believes that the process of Europeanization is at the same time the best guarantee of stability, democratic character and peace in the Balkans.

"Latvia conceptual vision of the European Union is that of an economically strong and politically stable union capable of protecting its member states’ interests in all areas in the global arena, whilst preserving the European Union as a community of nation states in which Latvia, along with other countries, can retain its national foundations.

Jean-Claude Junker was Europe’s longest-serving leader, with 18 years as Prime Minister of Luxembourg. He also chaired the "Eurogroup" meetings of euro zone finance ministers from 2005 to 2013. He provides the following assessment of the EU:

"It is necessary to renew the European project to ensure it has life, vigour and importance in a 21st century which is shaped by new challenges and new paradigms of development. This is why we must do whatever it takes to ensure our fellow citizens view the European Union as an essential contribution to the solution of our current problems and an exciting project for the future.

"Today we need a credible Europe to be more resistant to possible future crises and create conditions for economic growth. We must work to further strengthen the foundations for financial stability. This includes further deepening of Economic and Monetary Union, particularly focusing on further development of Banking Union, as well as further work on financial markets reform and fight against tax evasion and tax fraud. We will not regain our credibility without responsible fiscal policies.

"It is becoming increasingly clear that if Europe is to overcome its crisis, business as usual will not suffice. We need a Europe that is more concrete, less rhetorical, and better suited to the current global economy. We need to focus not only on the European Union’s specific policies, but also on how to change its “politics” – a change that must place economic growth at the top of the agenda.

“The European Commission needs to be stronger. If it is to play the role of an economic supervisor we need Commissioners to be genuine leaders, with authority, personality  and charisma  to be true representatives of common European interests. To be more effective, the Commission should be smaller. The EC now has 28 members. Member States should rotate to have their Commissioner.

The Dutch view of Europe is reflected in a policy document setting out nine broad principles and 54 specific recommendations. The guiding principle is described as "European where necessary, national where possible" and calls for a European Union that is more modest, more sober and at the same time more effective. The document calls for a significant scaling back of EU powers and notes that the Dutch Presidency in the first half of 2016 could play a role in promoting such an agenda.

Ulrike Lunacek, MEP, is Spokesperson for European Affairs for the Austrian Greens and the Greens/EFA Foreign Affairs Spokesperson in the European Parliament. She is a declared candidate of the European Green Party for nomination to the presidency of the European Commission.

"Our vision is of a post-national Europe, a Europe of citizens, a United States of Europe with democratic rule and federal structures enshrined in the Constitution of a Republic.

1. Democratic reform of Europe

President François Hollande’s vision of Europe is in line with that of the founder of the French Fifth Republic and president from 1959-1969, General Charles de Gaulle. It is thus very ‘French’. Europe has to be in the interests of France, not the other way round. France is a net contributor to the EU budget but the greatest beneficiary of the Common Agricultural Policy. Mr Hollande wants solidarity at the European level with eurobonds and a common budget capacity, but certainly not a complete loss of sovereignty on major issues such as the French fiscal policy.