The Achievements, Failures and Main Options for the EU in the Management of Global Interdependence

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.

Addressing some issues, the European Union decided to issue 750 million Euros in order to start the process of financial stability for the whole union (Mckee 524). Over time, the union learned that that the amount of money was not enough in order to help each countries’ individual financial crisis. As of now, the union has to increase the amount of money they are feeding to countries in hopes of fixing the economic issues. The continuing issue with the European Union’s economic plans is finding the money to keep funding countries with low economic growth. Furthermore, the union also has to figure out how to deal with the issues that are outside of the European Union’s borders. In

Part of the exceptional nature of the EU stems from the notion that nothing like it has ever been attempted successfully before. The European Union is an international institution with a single market and shared currency. It strives to maintain singular goals and make its way towards being an “ever closer union”. Today, the European Union has expanded to include twenty-eight member countries with an influence that reaches every continent. This institution has had an impressive history, but it has reached a point of concern. The golden years which held high hopes of a united supranational Union are long over. The EU faces destructive problems today, which could ultimately end their impressive era of cooperation. The Union has come

As the EU includes 27 states therefore they would inevitably face difficulties due to the diverse range of national interests. On the other hand increasing numbers of policies are decided on a supranational level and therefore speed the process, for example decisions relating to trade or agriculture. However vital policies such as Defence remain intergovernmental, as do decisions such as the accession of new states. The effect of recent economic crisis has made an impact on the creation of EU superstate. The global downturn, which originated in 2007 created the ‘Eurozone’ crisis. As a result EU bailouts have been organized for Greece, Ireland and Portugal. The fear of the crisis extending further across Europe has caused a loss of confidence in the EU, and in particular the euro. There has even been speculation that Greece may have to exit the ‘Eurozone’. Alternatively it has also caused some to call for further integration, arguing the crisis has shown the need for tighter budget rules throughout the EU.

Over the past several years, the European Union’s response to crises illustrates its resiliency, with the Union itself serving as the main support system for countries in need. Unfortunately the once prosperous European Union currently experiences a gradual decline in effectiveness. Political Scientists Sebastian Rosato and Douglas Webber highlight the issues plaguing the European Union, with Rosato focusing on post-Cold War Europe and Webber focusing on the rise of nationalists and the Union’s reliance on Germany. While each scholar takes a different approach in explaining the downfall of the Union, they each conclude that the European Union is not on a positive path. Both arguments provide valuable insight, however, Webber’s argument appears

By the end of 2008, the European Union began experiencing rippling effects of the United States financial crisis. Several member countries, most notably on the southern end of the continent, faced high levels of debt and unemployment. Portugal, Iceland, Ireland, Greece, and Spain, derogatively referred to as “PIIGS,” required extensive economic support from the EU in order to repay government debts and bail-out private banks. Disbursal of aid in 2010 proved successful in promoting economic recovery in some countries; however, the vast majority observed only slight economic improvement which led to doubts regarding the effectiveness of the harsh austerity measures implemented. Ireland has most clearly benefited from the financial support of the European Union as the country’s unemployment rate has dropped below ten percent and is expected to witness 4.5% GDP growth in 2016. Portugal, on the other hand, shows little fiscal improvement as evident in an unemployment rate of 13% and an expected GDP growth of only 1.6% in 2016. Although both countries faced tough financial crises in 2010, Ireland has notably outperformed Portugal in resolving the situation. The weak economy in Portugal, as well as continued fiscal hardship in the remaining “PIGS” countries, threaten the preservation of the European Union as financial inequality between the members persists.

The European Union calls itself “a unique economic and political partnership between 27 democratic European countries” (1) which apparently aims to promote “peace, prosperity and freedom for its 495 million citizens – in a fairer, safer world” (1). While this may be a noble sentiment, in reality the EU is an inefficient, bureaucratic mess. It is my belief that, while the European Union is fundamentally a good idea, it is turning into an undemocratic kleptocracy that will gradually begin to remove our civil liberties while causing great damage to many areas including the environment and society.

On November 1, 1993 the fate of our economy was decided. After one half of a century of waiting, the Eurozone came to a solemn existence. The once great powers of the world, the European nations, had completed a risky, and perhaps foolish, task. The world’s first regional economic system was successfully created. Now, almost two decades later, the world’s economies are on the verge of collapse, and it seems that no economy, other than the Eurozone, is at fault, due to its recent and quite careless economic endeavors. As the rest of the world continues to force the blame upon the Eurozone and its twenty-five member states-including the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Germany, we

The EU had a lot of good promise when it was first formed; for example, it helped unify Europe after the war and led to the creation of the Euro. The Euro is still used today as a current monetary system throughout Europe. However, there are some downsides to being involved in the economic organization. A prime example would be there are inefficient policies. One that comes to mind would be the Common Agricultural Policy. This policy’s “aim [is] to break the link between subsidies and production, to diversify the

Starting with the strengths of the core arguments of David Marsh’s book, there is the fact that EU state member’s economies have different environments and don't make progress at the same rate. Culture, education, and politics are influential factors. Being members of the EU means not only to enjoy the benefits but also to share the effort of bailing out economically weaker countries. This

“Globalization has produced a new of level of interdependence among us. The economy and multinational supply chains do not abide by political boundaries. A computer ordered in Brazil is designed in California and assembled in several other countries. Economic integration was the first strong evidence of a new era” – Eduardo Paes. It can be seen now that globalization is something that cannot be stopped. This process of international integration has come as a result of an interchange of world views, ideas, product, and other aspects of different cultures. The rapid development of transportation and telecommunication and furthermore the internet, has boosted globalization greatly and as a result a greater interdependence of economic and cultural activities. Interdependence is one the main factors of the economic welfare of the countries. Both regional and international organizations preach this idea among their member states and this is one of their main objectives. Nevertheless regional and international organizations have different geographical areas of operations and different laws which at some cases might result into conflict with each other. Both the European Union and NATO, in which I’ll focus my essay on, show proof that there might be cases where the UN’s and international law’s influence is nullified. I believe that regional organizations should be in a continuous cooperation with the international organizations, but it should be regional organizations as the

Corporations flourished in a world economy that was organized around free market neoliberalism. Large cities such as London, Moscow, New York, and Hong Kong became centers of business, but these close connections between international economies also made slumps and crashes more likely. Globalization also made labor costs low in the industrializing world. Therefore, many jobs were shipped overseas by companies looking to save money. The costs to people in developed countries were catastrophic, with many people not meeting the skill requirements for Europe's growing tech or businesses industry. All this change paved the way for the organizations such as the European Union. The EU implemented the free movement of capital, goods, and individuals across member states borders. Membership in the monetary union however required states to meet strict financial criteria as defined in the Maastricht treaty. However, there was opposition. People feared that the European Union would operate at the expense of the people. In 2002 however, the euro became the national currency of all Eurozone countries. These steps were all apart of the unification of Europe that so many people had been hoping for. The treaty of Lisbon went into effect on December 1, 2009, capping a 50 year effort to unify a war-torn continent. Although, the European Union is not the only organization of its kind, there are many governmental and non-governmental organizations that work to help the world. These

The European Union (EU) is not a typical international organization. The mix of intergovernmental and supranational institutions makes the EU a unique, distinctive political, and economic system. As Europe has spiraled from one crisis to the next, difficult discussions haves arisen about how much more power should be delegated to Brussels. Even though the EU advocates for “ever closer union”, through increased integration, states are becoming hesitant to relinquish power to the EU. This is due to the fact that state sovereignty has become threatened; it is being compromised by a combination of the lack of effective democratic institutions and the loss of states have lost control of law-making to legislation power to EU institutions. Euroenthuthiasts argue that state sovereignty is enhanced, not threatened, by reallocating power to EU institutions. However, Eurosceptics dispute that too much control has seceded to the EU making is a threat to state sovereignty. My position aligns with Eurosceptics, for the EU has weakened state sovereignty do to increased centralization of power in EU institutions that lack legitimacy. The European Project has obtained a copious amount of jurisdiction from states and eroded a basic fundamental freedom of the modern state- sovereignty. Since the EU has with goals to deepen and widen integration it’s clear that forfeiting state sovereignty will only intensify. My essay will start with a brief history of the European Union and a short

The world is becoming a smaller community through technological advances and international travel opportunities that make communication and interaction with others around the world a common occurrence. Some world leaders envision a global community that would lead to a one-world-order to include government and commerce. Globalization has been on the rise but is not shared and accepted by all. Nationalism continues to play a significant part in international interactions. With its goal of European unification for economic and political voice, the European Union (EU) can be used as a model for globalization. This paper will consider if using the EU as a model is a valid argument.

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)