The European Union As A Political Union

The EU was created after the Second World War to unite the neighboring countries of Europe. It was established by six European countries in 1951: France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, Netherlands and West Germany (Briney, 2015). Today it consists of 28 countries united to create an economic and political community (Gov.uk, 2014).

This report will look at the benefits and issues surrounding the UKs decision to remain as a member state of the European Union (E.U.). Along with the newly elected conservative government, came the announcement that a nationwide referendum would be held, by the end of 2017, in order to determine the British public’s stance on the issue of EU membership.

While the contributions of all member-states in the EU have been important and appreciated, the UK has brought a lot to the table that many other countries couldn’t. For example, the UK’s influence and the weight of just its name. For hundreds of years the UK has been powerful and if it had something to say, the world would listen. When the UK joined the EU it was a monumental victory for the existing member parties, because it meant that a powerful country, that could bring credibility and importance to a coalition previously lacking in both areas, would be joining their ranks.

Whether UK should leave or stay with EU has recently become one of the most widely debated subjects and British citizens will soon have to decide their future in the EU as Prime Minister David Cameron has promised a referendum on ‘leave or stay’ question to the British people by 2017. This came at the time of Eurozone crisis when most of EU citizens including British are losing faith in EU, making the distance between EU institutions and EU citizens ever greatest. The reason for British people’s resentment is the lack of democracy: EU dictatorship, too many unnecessary laws and regulations to follow. Of course, there are Brexiteers who call for the UK to quit in order to regain national sovereignty and to be more democratic than they are now and those who want to stay. The essay to expresses disagreement to the statement that UK would be more democratic if it votes to leave EU.

The European Union is considered as a political and economic institution that includes 28 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. In fact, the creation of the EU has been through the following steps:

The beginnings of what we know today as the European Union can be traced back to 1952, and the formation of the 'European Coal and Steel Community ' by the 'Inner Six ' founding member states. The ECSC was one of the first examples of a supranational union , designed to prevent the calamity of the two Great Wars from ever happening again. The ECSC later developed into the 'European Economic Community ' in 1967, before formally becoming the European Union (EU) in November 1993.

The UK joined the EU on January 1, 1973. During as a member of the EU, the UK does not adopt a common currency (Euro) which is referred to as the Eurozone and enforce Schengen visas.

These are monumental times in the history of the UK, and Europe as a whole. An economic and political storm is brewing in the UK, that storm is called Brexit. In order to begin to understand the effects of Brexit, we must first understand what it is, and who it will affect. Brexit is a portmanteau of “Britain” and “Exit”, and is the term given to the notion that the United Kingdom should separate from the European Union and once again be a completely sovereign nation under none but its own control. Before getting into the implications of Britain leaving the EU, we must first take a look at the political institution that is the European Union.

In the next year the people of the United Kingdom will get a chance to choose their countries’ fate: whether they should leave the European Union. What makes this important is that it would be the first country to leave the European Union in a time when other European countries are either in negotiation or planning to join. It would be a big deal as the United Kingdom is Europe’s third largest economy. As the people are about to vote on their future, there are concerns as what would be the economical, social, and political consequences. While some wonder what would the benefits be if the United Kingdom left. In this discussion I will explore the United Kingdom in the European Union and the political, economical, and social benefits and

The European Union itself is a powerful entity. From its beginning in the 1950 's, it was meant to be an economic, rather than political or militaristic means to spur prosperity. Its purpose is to allow the less restricted movement of capital and goods across the borders of European countries. Even more, a common currency eliminates the hassle and frustrations that come with international trade otherwise. Another benefit is the elimination of tariffs and other trade restrictions, which disappear with the imposition of common trade standards everywhere within the Union.

The roots of the European Union can be traced back to the early 1950’s when a small number of countries made a decision to join together as a way to resolve any potential conflict nurture economic growth and common values across the continent. There was a desire to promote common values and membership was opened to all European countries. Since the inception the number of members has grown from a founding six countries to what we now know as the modern day EU with a current total of 28 countries with a further 8 countries under application review. In 1992, what was then a group of twelve countries, joined together to form the Customs Community Code which was eventually introduced in January 1993. The code effectively merged the individual customs regulations in to a single customs union.

The Brexit referendum has been a very controversial topic for the past 6 months. The referendum option surfaced due to the changes happening in the European Union as an organization. The European Union (EU), formerly known as the European Coal and Steel Communities (ECSC), is originally created under the vision of creating a trading agreement which ease the transaction between the members. However, the EU now not only creates a single-market system to ease the trading between members, but also holds power over the member’s government, parliament, and court. Before the crisis in 2008 which is caused by EU’s single-market currency, the Euro, the political impact caused by EU’s membership

The European Commission is the Executive (governmental) body of the EU, initiating legislative proposals and also managing the EU’s budget (Europa, 2007). Each commission operates for a five-year period, with meetings taking place in Brussels every Wednesday. The Commission consists of a President of the Commission and twenty-eight commissioners (some vice presidents). Employees of the Commission are organised according to department (Directorates-General) and answer to a Commissioner. The Commission exists in order to represent the interests of the whole of the EU (thus arguably the whole of Europe), as opposed to individual Member States. The Commission represents the EU on a global basis and is the main participant in negotiations in areas such as trade. The appointment of Commissioners is the responsibility of the Parliament, with all having previously assumed senior positions in politics in their own country, usually within its national government. Proposals are drafted by the senior civil servant (Director-General. A proposal may be adopted if more than half of the Commissioners decide to adopt it. Once agreed, all Commissioners must give their unconditional support – similar to the collective responsibility held by the Scottish executives and the UK. The Commission works closely

The European Union (EU) does not have an unlimited power to act. The limits of Union competences are governed by the principle of conferral. Under the principle of conferral, the Union shall act within the limits of the competences conferred upon it by the Member States (MS) in the Treaties. The central debate about competence is with regard to the principle that the EC operates within the confines of attributed powers tends to be obscured by an open-handed reading of the matter in practice. The Articles of EC are broadly worded, with little restrictions. For example, Article 95 EC provides the Council the power to pass directives and regulations so as to facilitate harmonization of the internal market. It is a residual provision that operates, “save where otherwise provided in this Treaty”. This could be translated as a general power of regulating the market. Also Article 308 EC empowers the Community to legislate where it is “necessary to attain, in the course of the operation of the common market, one of the objectives of the Community and this Treaty has not provided necessary powers”. These broadly framed Articles can be dangerous because it becomes impossible to have a clear conceptual outer limit to the residual provisions. In addition, subsidiarity and proportionality have not performed well as devices for restraining the political desire to exercise a competence once granted. The malady is captured by the catchphrase competence creep.

The european union is a economic as well as a political partnership between 28 different countries located in Europe (Euabc). The Creation of the European union was caused due to the disruption of the Second World War. The Treaty of Rome was the initial treaty introducing the EEC, Its main aim was to create economic cooperation between many of the states so that the countries could trade interdependently and create the least possibility of conflict between the different countries. The result was the creation of the European Economic community aka EEC which was created in 1958 which had created economic cooperation between Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Since then this has grown into interdependent economic cooperation between many countries and potentially looking to increase its cooperation with other countries located in Europe. One of the EU’s goals include the promotion of human rights. The Lisbon Treaty of 2009 enforces the core values of Human dignity, democracy, freedom etc. These aspects are minded together as the basic law for Human rights. Today the main aims of the EU include as such: The promotion of Peace and well being of the unions citizens, The are of freedom, security and justice, Sustainable development, a social market economy and a free single market. (Euabc)