European Union Foreign Policy In A Changing World Summary

The European Union (EU) is a unique economic and political partnership between 28 different countries. It consists of about half a billion citizens, and its combined economy represents about 20 percent of the world’s total economy (Briney, 2015). Today The European Union works as a single market, with free movement of people, goods and services from one country to another. There is a standard system of laws to be followed, and since 1999 many countries share a single currency called the Euro (Europa.eu, 2015). This essay will explore the background history of the European Union and the benefits and drawbacks of the European Union.

Since 1950 European Union (EU) was created it has promoted peace, prosperity and values among the member nations and its neighbouring countries. EU’s influential tools, has helped transform many European states into functioning democracies and prosperous countries. EU’s membership has grown from 6 to 28 countries (Enlargement, 2014), satisfying a historic vow to integrate the continent bringing in most states of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) by peaceful ideals.EU has anticipated the enlargement as an extraordinary opportunity to endorse political strength and economic success in Europe. EU’s extension policy is open to any European state that fulfils the EU’s political and financial criteria for membership; still the political process of inclusion of new state requires a unanimous agreement from all the existing 28 member states. Europe is considered to be more flourishing and safer place due to the promotion of democracy, anti-corruption policy and the single market policy.

Europe now, for the first time in modern history, is a partnership sharing common values and a commitment to harmony and cooperation. The dream of European integration, shared by the United States, is now being realized, leaving behind us the wasteful era of wars, hostility, and inequalities. We are on the road to a Europe enjoying a unity and

The European Economic Community was an organization started in 1957 by France, West Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, and Luxembourg, in post War World II torn European. This organization was a union between the Steal and Coal Community and The European Atomic Energy Community. The goal of the organization, heavily influenced by John Monnet one of its founders and National Liberation Committee member at the time, was to build a stronger cohesive Europe through collaboration and economic ties to bring mutual prosperity. This organization and its ideals developed into the well know European Union of today, that currently sits with 28 members. However, one controversial possible membership has increased in importance over the years.

First, it is important to examine the readings regarding the European Union’s foreign policy. Here are some general explanations on the arguments from the following readings about the EU and its role in the 21st century. Kagan argues that the European Union will not “run” the 21st century. His reasoning is that although the EU is an economic power, it lacks

First I examine how EU institutions promote linkage and leverage with the West with the newest members in Eastern Europe. In particular, I examine the role of EU policies and initiatives in promoting Western 1) linkage by guaranteeing security and 2) leverage through conflict resolution in Eastern Europe, since those are the two main issue areas that enabled Western presence and cooperation in the region. The predominant impression is that the majority of Europeans still favor defense from outside from structures like NATO; therefore, NATO is a significant source of linkage and leverage with the West in Eastern Europe.

In recent history, following World War II, the Paris Peace Treaty and The Potsdam Agreement, reorganized Europe’s countries dramatically and by the late 1940’s the idea of a European Union was presented. It began as a way to preserve peace among the nations of Europe. In 1951, the first

As previously discussed, EU accession can be more broadly understood as a uniform membership approval process guided by the Copenhagen criteria for all prospects, applicants, and members. At a deeper level, the EU is dedicated to resolving uncertainties in the relationship between European states that fueled ages of conflict and mistrust in the past through the creation of a supranational European institutions guided by common European norms. Since the dynamics of these institutions are driven by common values and goals as outlined in the Copenhagen criteria above, norms drive contemporary trends in governance and EU integration.

Transatlantic geopolitical alliance of united Europe and the United States is the foundation of Western civilization’s geopolitical strategy: on most issues of global politics the United States and the EU have the same positions, while US leadership is obvious. However, transatlantic differences between Americans and Europeans are very noticeable in recent years. Europe is becoming increasingly strong geopolitical actor in the transatlantic alliance and European politicians seek to play a more independent role. The process of European integration proceeds slowly and contradictory, but it is already clear what unprecedented opportunities it opens up for the Europeans in the field of economics, politics and defense. Creation of the European Union and the introduction of a single European currency would largely bring together the main indicators of economic and military development of the European countries and the United States.

Zooming in on the Economic Developments in the European UnionIn the globalizing world, it is but logical that most trade groups contain countries in the same area of the world to offer trade agreements to obtain mutual benefits. Neighboring countries tend to ally for several reasons:•The distances that goods need to travel between such countries is short.

After The Second World War, Europe was on the brink as it was in a state of total ruin, both economically and politically. Europe was involved in two World Wars in only fifty years, there was a massive need to achieve lasting peace as well as economic stability, this however would be difficult to achieve. The first major step was taken in 1951, when the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was established. It was the chain of events leading from the ECSC that would be the first steps in molding today’s European Union. Throughout this period the “European” project was erratic and underwent quick development at certain times, and at others came to a grinding halt. The culminations of the larger moves seen in the sculpting of Europe were the main factors in the formation of the Europe that is seen today. Arguably the most important milestone is the, Treaty of Maastricht (1992).

The Maastricht Treaty was a complex 1993 agreement that transformed the European Economic Community into the European Union so as to increase political and economic cooperation in Europe. Political objectives were given far greater consideration in the agreement than in any preceding agreement among the member states. Goals included improving the democratic legitimacy and efficacy of insitutions, furthering the economic and monetary union of states, and facilitating the development of a common foreign and security policy as well as broadening the social sphere of the existing European Community. The first pillar of the agreement established the European Community and Parliament,

With the internal changes underway, 1993 saw the EU ready to start accession negotiations with the Central and Eastern European Countries (referred from now on as CEEC). The Copenhagen European Council summit in June 1993 stated that ‘the associated countries in central and eastern Europe that so desire shall become members of the European Union.’ (Conclusion of the European Council, 1993). This was a welcomed affirmation for the candidates, but the ‘’long and complicated road to membership’’ (Van Den Broek, 1998; Gower, 1999.; Phinnemore, 1999.) was far from over.

The European Union (EU) was established in order to prevent the horrors of modern warfare, experienced by most of Europe during the World Wars of the 20th century, from ever ensuing again, by aiming to create an environment of trust with the countries of Europe cooperating in areas such as commerce, research and trade (Adams, 2001). The EU has evolved into an economic, trade, political and monetary alliance between twenty-eight European Member States. While not all Member States are in monetary union (i.e. share the currency of the euro), those that are form the ‘Euro-zone’ (Dinan, 2006). The EU can pass a number of types of legislation, with a regulation, act, or law, being the most powerful. Its ‘tricameral’ (European Union, 2007)

The European Union played a very important role in transforming post-communist countries into democratic states with functioning market economies and the rule of law. The massive transfer of institutional and legal know-how from member