An European Union (EU) is a union
of 27 democratic European nations, committed to working together for peace and
prosperity. The member States of the EU have set common institutions to which
they delegate some of their sovereignty so that decisions on specific matters
of joint interest can be made democratically at the European level. The idea of
European integration was first proposed by the French Foreign Minister Robert
Schuman on May 9, 1950. This day is celebrated annually as the Europe Day.
France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Ireland,
Britain, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania,
Estonia, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Malta and
Cyprus. And, Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU on January 1, 2007.
Turkey, Croatia,
Macedonia, Albania, Serbia & Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina are
also negotiating for the membership of EU. However, they have to fulfill
certain criteria before they are eligible for EU's membership. EU Parliament is
Elected directly by the citizens of the member states. EU is representing the
Governments of member states. European Commission consists of Driving force,
executive body and guardians of treaties. EU Ensures compliance with the law.
It will control the sound and lawful management of the EU budget.
Five Other Important
Bodies:
- European Economic
and Social Committee: Expresses opinions of organised civil society on
socio-economic issues.
- Committee of the
Regions: Expresses the opinions of regional and local authorities.
- European Central
Bank: Responsible for the monetary policy and for managing the euro.
- European Ombudsman:
Deals with citizen's complaints about maladministration by any EU institution
or body.
- European Investment
Bank: Helps achieve EU objectives by financing investment projects.
- Tasks Handled by
the EU: Matters related to trade, economy, citizen's rights, security, regional
development and environmental protection.
- The EU's Clout: As
a unit the EU has much more economic, social, technological, commercial and
political clout than individual efforts of its members. The EU has built a
single market and launched a single European currency, the Euro. It is seen as
a leading trade power in the world. It has also done commendable work in
environment and wildlife protection.
EU's Reform Treaty Signed (Lisbon,
Portugal, December 13, 2007):
1. Landmark Treaty
Aimed at Easing Decision-Making and Integration in an Enlarged EU: On December
13, 2007, the leaders of the 27-member European Union (EU) signed a landmark
Reform Treaty to address the complexities of decision-making and integration of
an enlarged EU.
2. Main Aspects of
the EU Reform Treaty Will Replace the Aborted EU Constitution: The EU Reform
Treaty would replace the aborted EU Constitution. It is a slimmed down version
of the European Constitution, rejected by the French and Dutch voters in 2005.
3. Charter of
Fundamental Human and Legal Rights: The Reform Treaty includes a 50-article
Charter of fundamental human and legal rights. The Charter would be legally
binding for 25 of the 27 EU members. Britain and Poland opted out as they were
against making the Charter binding.
4. Elected President
of the EU Council to Replace the Rotating Presidency System: Envisages an
elected President of the EU Council -comprising all the Heads of State and
Government - for a two-and-a-half-year term to replace the cumbersome six-month
rotating presidency system.
5. More Powerful
Foreign Policy Chief to Bolster Common Foreign and Security Policy:
Revamped
post of a more powerful Foreign Policy Chief to bolster common foreign and
security policy. The Foreign Policy Chief would be answerable to EU Governments
but is a member of the EU Commission.
6. Smaller European
Commission: The European Commission, the executive body of the EU, would be cut
from the current 27 members to 17. Commissioners would be selected on a
rotation system among the States for a five-year term.
7. Voting System -
Votes Allocated to Members According to the Population Size: The number of
votes allocated to members would be according to the population size. The
introduction of this voting system has been delayed until 2014 to accommodate
Poland’s concerns that the system penalises smaller countries.
8. Drops All
References to EU Flag or Anthem: In order to assuage eurosceptic fears of
another step towards a federal Europe, the Reform Treaty drops all references
to EU flag or anthem.
9. Entry into Force
by 2009 After Ratification by Individual States: The EU Reform Treaty is set to
enter into force by 2009 after ratification by individual States through
Parliamentary adoption or a referendum. Ireland is the only State where a
referendum is constitutionally mandated.
Significance of the EU Reform Treaty:
- Could End a
Six-Year Uncertainty over Political and Institutional Future: The Reform Treaty
signed by the EU leaders in December 2007 could end a six-year period of
uncertainty over the political and institutional future of the World’s largest
trading bloc, according to analysts. The Treaty was signed after long and
acrimonious negotiations between supporters and opponents of closer
integration.
- Treaty Not a Threat
to National Sovereignty of Member States: The Portuguese Prime Minister Jose
Socrates stressed that the Reform Treaty was not a threat to the national
sovereignty of member States. The Treaty excludes issues of national autonomy
and identity that could turn volatile.
- Provision for a
More Coherent Foreign and Security Policies: Analysts point out that the EU
Reform Treaty provides provision for a more coherent articulation of foreign
and security policies with complete protection for the autonomy of member
States.
- Greater Power to
National Parliaments to Scrutinise Common Legislation: The EU Reform treaty
provides greater power to national Parliaments to scrutinise common
legislation.
- Provision
Safeguarding the Right of Countries to Delay the Implementation of Majority
Decisions: Another significant aspect of the Reform Treaty is giving up the
principle of unanimity as the basis of decision-making in many areas. A
provision safeguarding the right of countries to delay the implementation of
majority decisions was included at the instance of Poland.
EU's Economy:
1. Economy May
Surpass the US: The 27-member EU has a $11 trillion plus GDP economy which
could soon surpass the US economy, according to analysts.
2. Growing Confidence
in the Single Currency Euro: Steady Rise of Euro as the Second Global Currency
after the US Dollar: There has been a steady rise of the euro as the second
global currency after the US dollar, with about 25 per cent share in the global
foreign exchange reserves.
3. Fall in US Dollar
Made Euro an Attractive Currency for Holding Foreign Exchange Reserves: The
fall of the US dollar to a record eight-year low against the euro has led to a
rethink among Asian and other countries on the dollar as the sole currency for
holding foreign exchange reserves. Governments are looking at spreading the
risk and hold an increasing proportion of their foreign exchange reserves in
euro due to eurozone's global attraction as the world's biggest trading zone
with a stable currency.
4. Euro-zone Expanded
to 15 Countries: On January 1, 2008, Cyprus and Malta adopted the euro
increasing the number of countries using the currency to 15. The euro has risen
more than 11 per cent against the US dollar during 2007. Nine eastern European
countries are waiting to adopt the euro as the common currency.
Economic Challenges Facing EU:
Rate of Inflation
touching 3.5 per cent against the 2.5 per cent parameter set by the European
Central Bank. 20 million people unemployed in member States. Concerns that the
economic prosperity cannot be sustained for long with Asian economic giants -
India and China - fast capturing the European markets.
EU to Negotiate FTAs
with India and Other Asian Countries: In April 2007, the EU Foreign Ministers
approved mandates for the European Commission to negotiate Free Trade
Agreements (FTAs) with India, South Korea and the ASEAN. The agreements could
add more than 40 billion euro to EU exports annually and provide wide trade
opportunities for all sides, according to the EU executives.
EU Energy Policy to
Tackle Climate Change: The EU's broad new energy policy would tackle climate
change by boosting renewable fuels, cutting consumption and curbing dependence
on foreign suppliers of oil and gas.
Conclusion: EU Completes 50
Years. In March 2007, nearly 500 million citizens of the European Union (EU)
commemorated the 50th anniversary of the historic founding treaty of Rome of
1957. The pan-European vision was given a concrete shape through the
inter-connected process of economic integration, geographical enlargement, rule
of law, fundamental civic and political freedoms, and human rights. Analysts
point out that the establishment of the European Union has been an enormous
success. The EU has been an exemplary model of building peace, prosperity,
stability and solidarity within a single entity. The 27 members, many of whom
fought bloody wars or were separated by ideological divisions, have now joined
in a single entity sending a message in the current unipolar world, according
to analysts. A strong EU can be a voice of global peace and counterweight to
the sole superpower, according to analysts. The international community has
welcomed the consolidation of European unity and the global stability it
promises. India, a multilingual and multicultural, country has shared
attributes with EU. It is hoped that an enlarged EU will remain a voice of
global peace and respond reasonably to the needs of the developing countries.
