What future for Europe?

Résumé du document

Europe ceased to be a concept years ago. It is now a concrete political, economical and social association of 27 states which aim to move on and improve together. Europe currently has a future and will draw it by its own means and will. Yet, Europe is taking her first steps alone. Since the creation of the European Steel and Coal Community and the treaty of Rome, Europe always walked two steps behind the United States. With its foundation at the end of World War two, Europe ensured that peace would be irreversible by developing a common market and interdependence between its member states. This Huntingtonian solution was soon followed by a common agricultural policy and currency, and other political consolidations through various treaties unifying the states politically. The end of the XXth century and the collapse of the USSR filled the European Union, with optimism. New member states joined the Union, and the development of a globalized world brought new hopes for democracy, new markets and investments, as well as new challenges. The aftermath of the subprime crisis in the USA has cast a shadow over the economic prospects of the entire EU, and for the first time, it has to walk alone. Before wondering what future for Europe is, we should raise the basic question such as: what is Europe? What challenges is it facing? What kind of Europe do the Europeans want? And what are the possibilities for its future?

Extraits

[...] This would permit further enlargement of the Union. But the governments must ensure a sensible balance between the interests of large and small countries, as the commission “cannot work effectively without the support of most of the large countries”[8][9] Finally, the Treat of Lisbon proposes two important institutional innovations necessary to EU's foreign policy which is the permanent president of the European council and the new high representative for foreign affairs and security policy. This would give a more important worldwide voice to the EU, as it would facilitate its representation in international relations, for instance, to conclude international agreements and join international organisations. [...]

[...] The main reasons for the Irish popular rejection were first the complexity of the treaty. According to Giscard's statement, the elite was trying to smuggle the Constitutional treaty trough by making it unintelligible, therefore showing an important lack of democracy.[1]Second, the claim that it would marginalize Ireland because of its size and reduce Ireland's voice in the EU with a permanent Commission seats for small countries. Most of the other concerns were socials and economicals: the lack of protection for workers rights and public services, the facilitation of abortion through ECJ judgement and also the growth of inward immigration.[2] At that point, the EU finds itself at a deadlock; without the ratification of one of the member state ( maybe two, taking into account that the Czech president still has not signed the treaty), it should go on with the Treaty of Nice which does not provide the reforms necessary for European' institutions, for instance, concerning Enlargement. [...]

[...] What future for Europe? Europe is now a concrete political, economical and social association of 27 states which aims to move on and to improve together. Europe currently has a future and will draw it by its own means and will. But Europe is also taking its first steps alone. Since the creation of the European Steal and Coal Community and the treaty of Rome, Europe always walked two steps behind the United States. With its foundation since the end of World War two, Europe ensured that peace would be irreversible by developing a common market and interdependence between its member states. [...]

[...] The aftershock of the subprime crisis in the USA has cast a shadow over the economic prospects of the entire EU, for the first time, it has to walk alone. Before wondering what future for Europe, we should raise the basic question, what Europe? What challenges is it facing? What kind of Europe do the Europeans want? And what are the possibilities for its future? First and foremost, I will examine the current challenges that Europe has to face, such as the Irish crisis, the democratic dilemma and enlargement of Europe. [...]

[...] II, The Russian relations with EU in Russia and the EU: strategic partners or strategic rivals, Margot Light volume 46 annual Review pp.7-27 See Enquête sur les violences urbaines : comprendre les émeutes de Novembre 2005 Centre d'analyses strategiques France ; editions illustrade and the following website : http://www.wsws.org/francais/News/2005/novembre05/0211005_EmeuteFrance.shtml veux un ministère de l'Immigration” La France, une identité démocratique, Vincent Duclert ; Le seuil 2008 ; Introduction p.28 What next ? How to save the treaty of Lisbon, Daniel Gros & Sebastian Kurpas, CEPS polic bried, n163, June 2008 L'OTAN, une sorte d'entreprise en faillite, Le courrier international avril 2009 (web site), Adrian Hamilton, article entracte from The Independent. [...]