The next chapter represents an attempt to develop new understandings of the problems related to the European process of integration. More specifically, the aim of this section is to outline the possible mechanisms that, in being conducive of socialization, can push member states to ‘work together’ and to think in terms of ‘common problems’ and ‘common concerns’.
It has been chosen to accomplish this task by dividing the chapter into three main parts. The first one will present the possibility to identify the launch of non- binding elements as valid strategies aimed at driving the behavior of actors. Particularly, their ability to be perceived politically, socially and morally binding will be discussed.
The second part will be focusing on the analysis of the European Open Method of Coordination that, according to this research, represents a valid ‘laboratory’ where mechanisms of social influence and microprocesses of socialization can be observed. In addition, its application within the institutional framework of the EU is considered to be a good illustration of possible solutions able to renovate and possibly reinvent the European Union of tomorrow. In conclusion, the third part of the chapter has to be conceived as an attempt to go a step further the simple observation of existent mechanisms interacting between each other. In fact, it consists in the evaluation of the extent in which the behavior of actors has been altered since the advance of soft EU stimuli. More
Not only was a decision made to create the EMU but the governments of the member states also signed on creating a political union for “an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe”. The discussion within the negotiations on the Maastricht Treaty focused on themes like the role of the European Parliament, establishing a European citizenship, the development of new common policies such as culture and interior affairs and the creation of a common foreign
Until it crystallized into a political concept and became the long-term goal of the Member States of the European Community, the European idea was unknown to all but philosophers and visionaries. The notion of a United States of Europe was part of a humanistic-pacifistic dream which was shattered by the conflicts which brought so much destruction to the European continent in the first half of this century. The vision of a new Europe which would transcend national antagonism finally emerged from the resistance movements which had sprung up to resist totalitarianism during the Second World War. Altiero Spinelli, the Italian federalist and Jean Monnet, the man who
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.
Firstly, it is going to look at how post-war integration started through the prevention of war and to create peace throughout the European States. Secondly this essay will discuss the economic changes and influence it had on creating a political union. Then it will discuss how this created political unity along with how it affected integration and finally created the European Union. While lastly coming to a final conclusion as to what motivated integration after the war.
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
This hypothesis is that of national location. The philosophy behind this political positioning suggests that in an issue such as European integration there will be more variation seen in countries that have more diverse social and economic factors involved in policy making. The article suggests that with this hypothesis that issues will be decided on by parties potentially depending on what is in the best interest at tat time based on the national feeling that is present in their respective countries. This hypothesis is certainly well-founded in the idea of European integration as if national interests are largely in favor of integration it stands to follow that parties and policy would likewise be in favor.
In the event of an integrated Europe, constructivists recognize that to completely avoid conflict, each state will have to succumb to a “European identity” and all individual identities will have to become merely “cultural gems” within the European system. This, they argue, can be achieved with the success of several steps including economic, judicial, and security integration . The first step has already been attempted with the establishment of the Euro, the common European currency, which has been outperformed by its monetary competitors. A great amount of trust will have to be secured between states before a common court or army can be established, and most likely with as little success as the common currency. So, even by these simplified guidelines the outlook for the creation of a new “European
On 25 March 2017, the European Union will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its existence. Nevertheless, the European Council and the presidents of the twenty seven member states are aware that it is not a perfect union.
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
People have created unions many times but not all of them were successful, specifically when we consider alliances among number of countries with different economics, political systems and culture. For instance, last century brought both the biggest collapse and the most promising union in the modern history. Although U.S.S.R has disappeared from geographical maps, some of its members joined another alliance. The European Union (EU) is an economic and political partnership that united 28 countries on the European part of Eurasia and represents a unique form of cooperation among members today.
Over the years as the European identity developed, it inevitably came across the issue of justice and home affairs (JHA) and to what extant it had dictation over its member states’ borders. As the European Community and later the European Union established and expanded its policies over issues such as asylum, immigration and police, judicial cooperation, many began to criticize the European Union saying it was relinquishing the sovereignty of its member states. As the mandate over justice and home affairs moved from the national level to the European level, the EU had to figure how much jurisdiction they could have over member states’ borders without imposing on the national governments or living up to its reputation as ‘Fortress Europe.’
The various political and cultural differences that the European Union nations have are the main qualities of why this system is not efficient. In the article: One Europe, Two Citizens by Pavel Kelly-Tychtl, the author argues that the European Union will have many difficulties to succeed because of the multiple differences that these nations possess. Published in the year 2003, the article appeals to the values of people and their feelings towards loosing their identity and nationalism towards their country. The main ideas of this article are trying to prove that the European Union is not the best system to unite nations in the world.
Obviously, apart from Euro, a shared history among member states is also related to the European identity. The formation of European Union is based on this collective memory to some extent. Memory has become ‘a powerful tool in quests for understanding, justice and knowledge’ (Hacking, 1998). Additionally, as Jan-Werner Müller (2002, p. 1) observes, memory ‘lies at the intersection of so many of our current concerns and organizes many of our current projects’. Having gone through a century of war and economic crisis, the European Union has been established representing the desire of harmonious society. The creation in 1958 of the EC (European Community) was an important attempt at recuperating the region after the Second World War, “… the single market underpinned by various freedoms was believed to be a means of ensuring peace, as well as, of enhancing the economic prosperity and stability of countries in Europe” (Müller-Peters et al., 1998, p. 664).Based on common experience of wars and goal of building up a harmonious society, they feel more attached to each other , enabling them to have a better understanding of each other
In the past years, the possible future of the European Union (EU) has been of increasing interest to social and political scientists as well as the public. Since 2008, the EU has experienced events such as the economic crisis and the 2014 European Parliament election, which have fostered intense debates around the legitimising basis of the EU (Zielonka, 2014). Furthermore, with the election of David Cameron in the 2015 United Kingdom general election even the possibility of the United Kingdom leaving the EU has been discussed. Although many social and political scientists do not believe such a scenario (REFERENCE), one could argue that there is an increasing need for the EU to redefine itself in order not to experience a genuine ‘downfall’. Consequently, an alternative theory of EU integration challenging the classical intergovernmental and neofunctional understandings of the EU has gained increasing support among political scientists.
Diversity is one of the main features of European Union (EU). This realises in various national states, in different languages and cultures, in distinct democratic political systems and in contradicting development of EU’s numerous regions. While EU tries to preserve differences which make EU Member States special, disproportions in economic and social development have been seen as a major challenge for stability of the Union. The existence of Cohesion policy rreflects the political agreement on the part of all of the Member States of the European Union on the principle that the process of increasing economic integration in Europe must be