The History Of The European Union Politics Essay

The History Of The europiuman confederacy Politics EssayThe European companionship was an institutional framework for the construction of a united Europe. The European connection is super Cly c whollyed the (EU) and after offici wholly(a)y became known as the European partnership (EU). It was created after populace War II to unite the nations of Europe economically and politically by uniting their resources into a mavin economy. By doing so, some a nonher(prenominal) fight would be less likely among neighboring countries. A effect of European leadership became convinced that the only way to well(p) a lasting peace between their countries was to unite them economically and politically. This was the framework for the construction of the early European union which expanded into the European Union.The EU was tog up with the aim of closinging the frequent and bloody wars between its neighbors, which culminated in the World War II. In 1950, the European Coal and Steel Comm unity (ECSC) began to unite European countries economically and politically in order to secure lasting peace The organization everywheresees cooperation among its fragments in diverse areas, including trade, the environment, transport and employment. (BBC) The cardinal founding countries were Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Based on the Schuman plan, these sextet countries subscribe a treaty to run their heavy industries of coal and steel. Thus under a parkland management no country could, on its own, make weapons of war to turn against the other as in the past. The founding fathers of the European Union, and regarded by many as the principal architects of European integration following the end of the World War II wereKonrad AdenauerSir Winston ChurchillAlcide de GasperiWalter HallsteinJean MonnetRobert SchumanPaul Henri SpaakAltiero SpinelliIn 1957, the pact of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC), or Common Market. make on the success of the Coal and Steel conformity, those six countries expanded cooperation to other economic sectors. They signed the Treaty of Rome, creating the EEC determined to lay the foundations of an ever so imminent union among the peoples of Europe. (Goldberg, 2003) The idea was for people, goods and services to move step warely crosswise borders.In the 1960s, the early European Community go along to progress. The EU started its common agricultural policy in 1962, giving their countries joint master over food production. All farmers were paid the same price for their produce. The EU grew affluent food for its needs and farmers earned well. in that respect were un valued side-effects, such(prenominal) as overproduction with mountains of surplus produce. Later in 1963, the EU signed its castigateoff big inter guinea pig agreement, a deal to help 18 actor colonies in Africa. To date, this has expanded to 78 countries in Africa, the Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) regions. In 1968, the reliable six countries removed customs duties on goods imported from all(prenominal) other, allowing free cross-border trade for the first conviction. They also applied the same duties on their imports from outside(a) countries. The humans biggest trading group was born. Trade among these six countries and of the EU and the rest of the world grew rapidly.In the beginning of the 1970s pollution was starting to set about a problem especially in Scandinavia and Germany because of acid rain which was destroying forests. The EU in conclusion adopted laws to protect the environment, introducing the notion of the polluter pays for the first time, and since then Institutions such as the EU with its countries like the Netherlands and Germany take for made it a innovation of their environment. (Bruyninckx, 2009) This led to the founding of pressure groups such as Greenpeace. In 1973, the authorized six countries expanded to nine when Denmark, Ireland and the united Kingd om formally fancy the EU. As a result, in 1974 to show their solidarity the EU leaders set up the European Regional Development Fund. Its purpose was to transfer bullion from rich to poor regions to improve roads, communications, attract investments, and create jobs. This came to account for superstar third of all EU spending. In 1979, EU citizens directly pick out the members of the European sevens for the first time. Previously they were delegated by national parliaments. Members sit in pan-European political groups (Socialist, Conservative, Liberal, Greens, etc.) and not in national delegations. The influence of the Parliament was constantly increase.Figure . European Summit at work.The EU continued its economic growth, political expansion, and industrial modernization. Membership of the EU reached double figures when Greece joined. They had been entitled to join since its military regime was overthrown and democracy restored in 1974. In the industrial sector, computers a nd automation were changing the way people lived and worked. To stay in the chief of innovation The EU organized ESPRIT, the European Strategic Program for reading Technology in 1984. (Grande, Hanson, Lackman, 1994) That was the first of many research and development programs. automatise robots soon joined car factory production lines in the mid-eighties as well. In 1986, Spain and Portugal entered the EU, bringing total social status to 12. However, trade was not flowing freely across EU borders because of certain obstacles and differences in national regulations. european summit.jpgThe Single European Act of 1986 launched a vast six year program to sort out those trade problems. The Act also gave the European Parliament much input and strengthened EU powers on environmental protection. Next in 1987, The EU launched the Erasmus program to fund university students that wanted to study in another European country for up to wizard year. Since then, more than than 2 million st udents have benefited from this and similar EU plans.The get out of communism across Central and easterly Europe which began in Poland and Hungary, symbolized the drop cloth of the Berlin argue in 1989. Faced by a mass exodus of its citizens to West, the East German government sacrificeed the gates. Germany was united after more than 40 years, and its Eastern part joined the EU in1990. The fall of the Berlin Wall led to some economic issues At the same time, consumers suddenly had access to goods and services that hadnt been available behind the Iron Curtain, and, for the first time in decades, entrepreneurs were able to start their own companies. (Tucker, 2009)More major expansions took place in the 1990s for the EU, and later the European Community was officially recognized as the European Union. In 1992, the Treaty on European Union (TEU) was signed in Maastricht. The Treaty established Community policies in six sweet areas trans-European networks, industrial policy, consu mer protection, education and vocational training, youth, and culture. (EU Legislation, 2007) It was a major EU milepost setting clear rules for the future single up-to-dateness, foreign policy, protection policy, and closer cooperation in justice and homeland affairs. Under the treaty, the name European Union officially replaced European Community. With old barriers gone, people, goods, services, and money moved around Europe as freely as within one country. In 1993, the single market and its quadruplet freedoms were established the free movement of goods, services, people, and money had become reality.As the EU has expanded, more than 200 laws have been agreed on since 1986 covering tax policy, business regulations, professional qualifications and other barriers to try and hand more frontiers. Unfortunately, free movements of some services were still delayed. In 1995, Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU which increased membership to 15 countries which covered almost all of Western Europe.In the late 1990s, the Schengen Agreement took effect in seven countries Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Portugal. Travelers of any nationality could travel between all of those countries without any passport control at the borders. Other countries have since joined the passport-free Schengen area. In 1997, there was the trace of the Treaty of Amsterdam. It built on the achievements of the treaty from Maastricht by laying down plans to reform EU institutions, to give Europe a stronger voice in the world, and to concentrate more resources on employment and the ripes of its citizens. Later that year, EU leaders agreed to start the process of membership negotiations with 10 countries of Central and Eastern Europe Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The Mediterranean islands of Cyprus and Malta were also include in negotiations.In 1999, the Euro (European Currency ) was introduced in 11 countries for commercial and financial transactions only, notes and coins would come later. The Euro countries were Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland (Greece later incorporate the Euro in 2001). However, a countrys old currency must have had a s slacken exchange rate for two years and because of that Denmark, Sweden, and the United Kingdom decided to stay out of the Euro area for the time being. There were other conditions as well, such as interest rates, budget deficits, pomposity rates, and the level of government debt.Moving into 2000, changes to the Treaty of Nice agreed to open the way for enlargement by reforming EU voting rules. In 2001, the EU stood firmly alongside the United States in the fight against world-wide act of terrorism after the terrorists attacked the World Trade Center killing over lead thousand people. Moving into 2002, Euro notes and coins were introduced. P rinting, minting, and distri thoing them in 12 countries was a major logistical operation. More than 80 billion coins were involved, and notes were the same for all countries. Coins had one common face, giving the value, while the other carried a national emblemall currency circulated freely.Figure . EU PeacekeepersIn 2003, as part of its foreign and security policy, the EU took on peace-keeping operations in the Balkans. Their main concern was in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and then in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In both(prenominal) cases, EU-led forces replaced the NATO units. Internally, the EU agreed to create an area of freedom, security, and justice for all citizens by 2010. EU Peacekeepers.jpgIn 2004, the EU finally finished the process of membership with eight countries (Bulgaria and Romania still remained candidate countries) of Central and Eastern Europe the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia joined the EU. This finally ended the division of Europe which had been decided by the Great Powers 60 years earlier at Yalta. Next, twenty-five EU countries signed a Treaty to establish a European report in 2004. It was designed to streamline democratic decision-making and management in an EU of twenty five or more countries. It also created the post of a European Foreign Minister. The organic law had to be ratified by all 25 countries before it could go into force. When citizens in both France and the Netherlands voted No to the Constitution in referendums in 2005, EU leaders declared a hitch of reflection. (EurActiv, 2007) The constitutional treaty signed in 2004 was meant to make the EU more efficient.In 2007, two more countries from Eastern Europe, Bulgaria and Romania, joined the EU. This brought the total progeny of member states to twenty-seven. Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey were candidates for future membership, but have not yet been accepted. Later that yea r, the twenty seven EU countries signed the Treaty of Lisbon, which amended the previous Treaties. It was designed to make the EU more democratic, efficient and transparent, and thereby able to tackle global challenges such as climate change, security, and sustainable development. The Treaty of Lisbon aimed to make the EU primarily act more efficiently in security matters. alike in 2007, a Council decision was made determining the order in which the office of President of the Council should be held. The position is held for six months by each Member State on a rotational basis. The Council is the main decision-making ashes of the European Union. The ministers of the Member States meet within the Council of the European Union. Depending on the issues on the agenda, each country is represented by the minister responsible for that landing field (foreign affairs, finance, social affairs, transport, agriculture, etc.).Council responsibilities includedThe Council passes laws, usually le gislating jointly with the European Parliament.The Council coordinates the all-inclusive economic policies of the Member States.The Council defines and implements the EUs common foreign and security policy, based on guide lines set by the European Council.The Council concludes, on behalf of the Community and the Union, international agreements between the EU and one or more states or international organizations.The Council coordinates the actions of Member States and adopts measures in the area of police and judicial cooperation in twist matters.The Council and the European Parliament constitute the budgetary authority that adopts the Communitys budget.In 2008, Cyprus and Malta incorporated the Euro, increasing the size of the Eurozone to 15 Member States. The value of the Euro reached an all time high on July 18th at 1.5843 to the U.S. dollar. However, later in the year, the oecumenical recession began to take its toll on the currency and European economies. alike in 2008, Swed en ratified the Lisbon Treaty.Slovakia incorporated the Euro in 2009, and the Eurozone now included 16 Member States. In December, the worlds three main credit ratings agencies downgraded Greeces debt, displace financial markets tumbling and raising concerns about other weak European economies like Portugal, Spain, Ireland and Italy. Concerns started to show as The leaders of the European Union gather in Brussels in an emergency summit meeting that seemed to foreground the very worries it was designed to calm that the world economic crisis has unleashed forces threatening to shatter Europe into rival camps. (Castle Erlange, 2009) Later that year, the previously signed Lisbon Treaty entered into force.As the EU struggled in 2010 to contain the debt crisis, Standard Poors in April downgraded Greeces supreme debt to junk status, and cut Portugal and Spains credit ratings. The Eurozone finance ministers met in May to O.K. a 110 billion ($146 billion) loan package to Greece. That June, the Euro reached a four year low, falling below 0.862017 ($1.19). Eventually the Euro began to comeback the EU vulcanized from the global financial crisis faster than expected, with business investments growing by an estimated 2% in 2010, but with public investment and housing development lagging. fortified corporate profits should enable this recovery to continue in 2011. (The World Factbook) To date, the EU continues to progress and move forward amid untimely setbacks.In closing, the European Community formed as a result of WWII with the intent of preventing European countries from another war, devastating destruction, and the loss of lives within its soon to be member States. The European Community gradually evolved into the European Union with the purpose of increasing economic integration, citizen socialization among its member States, modernizing industrialization, and to centralize a monetary currency among its member States. European citizens now have the freedom to live, work, and study in any part of the EU. Since the European Community began over half a century ago, the EU has taken great strides in achieving a greater sense of unity among its members States and throughout Europe. The future of the European Union rests in its ability to balance supranational (social) and intergovernmental (monetary) issues. While the EU decision-making process index become bogged down as the number of member States around the table increases, the EU has a solid foundation to evolve and prosper with the right unified leadership from within its member States.