November 9 will be a seminal date for the European Union – 18 years since east Berliners tore down the wall and began Europe’s unification. Though the EU is often presented as suffering from a mid-life crisis, this anniversary will be a chance to celebrate Europe’s coming of age.

Over the last two decades the EU has shown more of the energy of youth than listless decline. Having built up the world’s biggest single market, most generous aid budget and largest army of peacekeepers, the Union has accumulated the wherewithal to become a transformative power: it has the means to tilt the world towards its formula of democracy, human rights, multilateralism and the principles of open society.