M.A. in Political Science

Sem-II. Paper VII

Dr. Sarita Kumari,

Associate Professor

RLSY College Bakhtiyarpur, Patliputra University

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

EUROPEAN UNION (EU)

The (EU) is a unique political and economic partnership that currently consists of 27 member states. Built through a series of binding treaties, the Union is the latest stage in a process of integration that began after World War II to promote peace and economic recovery in Europe. These countries came together to make things better, easier, and safer for people. They agreed to work together and help each other.

Currently, there are 27 members of the EU. These are , , Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, , , Greece, Hungary, Ireland, , Latvia, Lithuania, , Malta, the , Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. In June 2016, the United Kingdom decided to stop being part f the EU. So, from 31sat January 2020 the UK is no longer part f the European Union.

History of the European Union

The European Union started its journey over half a century ago. Visionary leaders came together to create economic and political stability to ensure long term peace in Europe. From then on, many others have followed in their footsteps, striving to build on this vision through successive treaties. Some aspiring leaders and pioneers were Konrad Adenauer, , Johan Beyen, Winston Churchill, , Nicole Fontaine, and there were many greats.

1945 - 1959. A Peaceful Europe – The Beginnings Of Cooperation

Around 1950, the European Coal and Steel Community begins to unite European countries economically and politically to secure lasting peace. The six founding countries were Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. The 1950s were dominated by a cold war between the east and west. Protests in Hungary against the Communist regime were put down by Soviet tanks in 1956. In 1957, the creates the European Economic Community (EEC), or ‘Common Market’.

1960 - 1969. A Period Of Economic Growth

The 1960s was a good period for the economy, helped by the fact that EU countries stop charging custom duties when they trade with each other. They also agree to joint control over food production, so that everybody now has enough to eat - and soon there is even surplus agricultural produce. May 1968 becomes famous for student riots in Paris, and many changes in society and behaviour become associated with the so-called ‘68 generation’. 1990-1999. Signing Of Treaties As the EC grew, its leaders realised they needed to enhance the free movement of goods and services. This would help the EC create wealth and jobs. Consequently, they created the as stipulated in the Single European Act (SEA), undoubtedly one of the EU’s greatest achievements. The single market paved the way for more competition, better efficiency, and lower prices.

The Treaty of Maastricht signed on 7th February 1992, established the European Union (EU) based on three pillars: the European Communities, the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), and the Police and Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters (JHA). It introduced the concept of European citizenship, enhanced the powers of the , and launched the economic and monetary union (EMU).

The need for solutions to new problems led to the , an amendment to previous treaties. The Member States felt the need to enforce the freedom of movement to boost the EU’s economy. Thus, the Treaty of Amsterdam included new provisions on the Schengen Agreement into the EU framework. At the time, Schengen was still an intergovernmental form of cooperation between 5 Member States.

The 2000s. Lisbon Treaty

The Treaty of Nice, signed in 2001, streamlined the institutional system in a bid to maintain efficiency in preparation for the fourth and largest enlargement of the EU; Malta was part of this enlargement. On December 1, 2009, the EU’s latest institutional reform endeavor—the Lisbon Treaty—came into force following its ratification by all of the member states. It is the final product of an effort begun in 2002 to reform the EU’s governing institutions and decisionmaking processes. It amends, rather than replaces, the EU’s two core treaties—the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU). Changes introduced by the Lisbon Treaty seek to a) enable the EU to function more effectively; b) enhance the EU’s role as a foreign policy actor, and increase democracy and transparency within the EU.

Goals and values of the EU

Goals

The goals of the European Union are as follows:  promote peace, its values and the well-being of its citizens  offer freedom, security, and justice without internal borders  sustainable development based on balanced economic growth and price stability, a highly competitive market economy with full employment and social progress, and environmental protection  combat social exclusion and discrimination  promote scientific and technological progress  enhance economic, social and territorial cohesion and solidarity among EU countries  respect its rich cultural and linguistic diversity  establish an economic and monetary union whose currency is the euro.

Values

The EU values are common to the EU countries in a society in which inclusion, tolerance, justice, solidarity, and non-discrimination prevail. These values are an integral part of our European way of life:  Human Dignity: Human dignity is inviolable. It must be respected, protected, and constitutes the real basis of fundamental rights.  Freedom: Freedom of movement gives citizens the right to move and reside freely within the Union. Individual freedoms such as respect for private life, freedom of thought, religion, assembly, expression, and information are protected by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.  Democracy: The functioning of the EU is founded on representative democracy. Being a European citizen also means enjoying political rights. Every adult EU citizen has the right to stand as a candidate and to vote in elections to the European Parliament. EU citizens have the right to stand as candidates and to vote in their country of residence, or their country of origin.  Equality: Equality is about equal rights for all citizens before the . The principle of equality between women and men underpins all European policies and is the basis for . It applies to all areas. The principle of equal pay for equal work became part of the Treaty of Rome in 1957. Although inequalities still exist, the EU has made significant progress.  Rule of Law: The EU is based on the rule of law. Everything the EU does is founded on treaties, voluntarily and democratically agreed by its EU countries. Law and justice are upheld by an independent judiciary. The EU countries gave final jurisdiction to the European Court of Justice which judgments have to be respected by all.  Human Rights: Human rights are protected by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. These cover the right to be free from discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, the right to the protection of your data, and or the right to get access to justice. Working of the European Union

The European Council acts as the strategic guide for EU policy. It is composed of the Heads of State or Government of the EU’s member states and the President of the European Commission; it meets several times a year in what are often termed “EU summits.” The European Council is headed by a President, appointed by the member states to organize the Council’s work and facilitate consensus. The European Union has 3 main bodies. These are  The European Commission: The people of the European commission suggest law for the EU. It is essentially the EU’s executive and upholds the common interest of the EU as a whole. It implements and manages EU decisions and common policies ensure that the provisions of the EU’s treaties are carried out properly, and has the sole right of legislative initiative in most policy areas. It is composed of one Commissioner from each EU country, who is appointed by agreement among the member states to five-year terms and approved by the European Parliament. One Commissioner serves as Commission President; the others hold distinct portfolios (e.g., agriculture, energy, trade). On many issues, the Commission handles negotiations with outside countries.  The European Parliament: The people of the European Parliament are elected by all people in Europe to stand for their rights. the citizens of the EU. Each EU country has several seats roughly proportional to the size of its population. Although the Parliament cannot initiate legislation, it shares legislative power with the Council of Ministers in many policy areas, giving it the right to accept, amend, or reject the majority of proposed EU legislation in a process known as the “ordinary legislative procedure” or “codecision.” The Parliament also decides on the allocation of the EU’s budget jointly with the Council.  The Council of the European Union: People who make decisions in every country of the European Union come together and make the Council of the European Union (also called the Council of Ministers) represents the national governments. The Council enacts legislation, usually based on proposals put forward by the Commission, and agreed to (in most cases) by the European Parliament. Different ministers from each country participate in Council meetings depending on the subject under consideration (e.g., foreign ministers would meet to discuss the Middle East, agriculture ministers to discuss farm subsidies). Most decisions are subject to a complex majority voting system, but some areas—such as foreign and defense policy, taxation, or accepting new members—require unanimity. The Presidency of the Council rotates among the member states, changing every six months; the country holding the Presidency helps set agenda priorities and organizes most of the work of the Council Other bodies are integral to the EU. The Court of Justice interprets EU and its rulings are binding; the Court of Auditors monitors financial management; the European Central manages the euro and EU monetary policy; and advisory committees represent economic, social, and regional interests. Also, 4 countries outside the European Union are part of the Schengen Area. They are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. It means that people can travel freely and easily from one of these countries to another. This way it is easier for people to visit any of these countries for tourism or work. European Union And Its Citizen

Since 1957, the European Union has benefited its citizens by working for peace and prosperity. It helps protect their basic political, social, and economic rights and these benefits improve their daily lives. Peace & Security Central and Western Europe have never known so long a period without war. The EU is the most successful peace project in human history and has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Europeans are closely linked economically and culturally, and through the democratic values, they share. In 2012 the EU won the Noble Peace Prize for its good work towards keeping peace in Europe. Single Market The single market is the world's most highly developed and open marketplace. It is based on the EU’s 4 key freedoms, which enable you and other citizens to:  live or work in any EU country  move your money  sell goods without restrictions  provide services on the same basis. High Food & Environmental Standards Because EU countries cooperate so closely, food and our environment meet some of the world's highest quality standards. Unscrupulous companies can't get away with selling contaminated food or polluting our rivers and countryside. Consumer Benefits Shoppers can feel safe in the knowledge that they will get their money back if they return products. Travellers can buy train or plane tickets, knowing they can get a refund if their journey is delayed or cancelled. And the standards which goods in EU shops are required to meet are among the world's most stringent, in terms of both quality and safety. Human Rights The EU protects all minorities and vulnerable groups and stands up for the oppressed. Regardless of a person's nationality, gender, language group, culture, profession, disability, or sexuality, the EU insists on equal treatment for all. Global Power EU countries acting in unison have much more of a voice on the world stage than 27 small and medium-sized nations acting separately. They have political clout. As regards trade, there regulatory and product standards are adopted worldwide as the global norm. Language Of The European Union

In every country, people speak their language. The EU protects the right of people to communicate in their language. That is why the EU makes all the important information and documents in all the languages that people speak in their countries. In this way, all people in the EU can get important information in their language and understand it. These languages are Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish.

The Currency Of The European Union

Most countries that are part of The EU use the same coin i.e. EURo. Using the same coin helps countries in the EU to dop business together. It makes it easier for people to travel, buy things online from other countries, and other benefits options. Today, 19 out of 27 European Union countries use the euro. These countries are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. The Schengen Area The European Union made the ‘Schengen Area’. The Schengen Area is an area without borders. In this area, people can travel from country to country freely and easily. They do not have to go through checks and controls when they pass from one country to another. The Schengen Area was made in 1985. Currently, 22 countries are part of this area. These countries are Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. Conclusion

The EU has been built through a series of binding treaties. Over the years, EU member states have sought to harmonize laws and adopt common policies on an increasing number of economic, social, and political issues. EU member states share a customs union; a single market in which capital, goods, services, and people move freely; a common trade policy; and a common agricultural policy. Member states work together through several EU institutions to set policy and to promote their collective interests.