Introduction
The phenomenon of global interdependence began to be widely observed not without astonishment in the early 1970s of the 20th century, although it had been present much earlier reaching the beginnings of colonial era. Global interdependence, as well as European integration process started in the area of economy and, to some extent, still exist mainly on the level of economic cooperation. It is widely known that the role of the European Union as an international actor has grown, however it has to be admitted that Europe is not any more in the center of international focus. The emergence of a financial crisis in the United States revealed many issues the EU was not prepared for. However it had no choice but to face them and fail or succeed. Global interdependence turned out to be more significant than the EU expected, proving that the contemporary world is predominantly multipolar .
Results and major challenges of the EU in the post-crisis era
One of the greatest successes of the EU before the recession era were the enlargements of 2004 and 2007. This phenomenon, although some say too daring and causing a sort of “economic indigestion” in the EU , is a good example of management. Economic catching up in the new member states was a big success too, although presence of financial crisis will surely postpone next enlargements. Furthermore, it has to be admitted that the existence of the eurozone protected the EU’s integrity and single market, as it prevented currency turbulences. Thus, such countries as Denmark and Poland increase its interest in joining the eurozone. As emphasized by Roger Liddle, it is even believed that low inflation of the eurozone can actually lead the world out of the recession , so sustainin...
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... Roger Liddle, Policy Network, London 2009.
2. European Law Enforcement Agency: http://www.europol.europa.eu/
3. From Reuters, Russia agrees oil deal with Ukraine, eases EU fears, http://wiadomosci.onet.pl/2102461,10,item.html
4. Global Interdependence Center: http://www.interdependence.org/
5. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Economic Survey of the European Union 2009: Policies to overcome the crisis: http://www.oecd.org/document/7/0,3343,en_2649_34111_43711047_1_1_1_1,00.html
6. Rescuing the European project: EU legitimacy, governance and security, ed. Olaf Cramme, Policy Network, London 2009.
7. The European Union’s Judicial Cooperation Unit: http://www.eurojust.europa.eu/
8. Tsoukalis Loukas, Cramme Olaf, Liddle Roger, An EU “fit for purpose” in the global age. Can we rise to the challenge?, Policy Network, London 2009.
The European Union has been helped economically ever since World War II. Right after World War II’s end, Europe was struggling to hold on. The countries of the modern-day European Union thought it would be a good idea to come together and help each others struggling economy. To this day, this decision has had a very positive outcome on the EU’s economy. As shown in Diagram 1, the European Union combined together has the world’s highest GDP at 18.3 Trillion USD as compared to the United States’ 17.4 Trillion USD GDP and China’s 10.4 Trillion USD GDP. The idea
Taylor, J. B. (2009). The financial crisis and the policy responses: An empirical analysis of what
The European Union today is a political and economic entity that controls in a single market located mostly in Europe exploiting Euro as a single currency uniting the vast majority of its members. The market that all European Union members share provides free trade of goods and services as well as a common external tariff. One might argue that the European Union would not perceptible its current influence had it not been for the introduction of the Euro. Speaking of the benefits of the Euro, one can name the elimination of exchange rate problems, creation of a single financial market, providing price stability, low interest rates as well as being a political symbol of unity and commitment to the Union. Today, Euro is the second reserve currency in the entire world - a fact that clearly speaks for itself of its value in the global market.
Both the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) and the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) are strategies developed by the European Union in regards to their dealings with the ‘outside’ world. The European Neighborhood Policy finds its obstacles in the once superpower of the Russians, and their conflicting neighborhood policy. Whereas the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy finds its obstacles through its numerous memberships which on the outside one would consider a boon of combined knowledge, but when their insurmountable differences become involved it is a burden. The European Union unfortunately has become known for being a hypocritical organization, playing the mantra ‘do as I say not as I do’. Moreover, the European Union takes its power for granted and assumes “itself as a superior embodiment of soft power and a model of peace, democracy and prosperity in the region.” After the Cold War, the EU set out to develop a new phase of expansion and integration. One of the topics related to the process of European Union integration is the concern of a European Identity, and what it means to be ‘European’. The EU has struggled to define itself as a “Multicultural community sharing a set of universal values” , conversely defining what it means by ‘multiculturalism’ has become the center of political conflict within its governments. The conundrum may be if the European Union wants to keep the European feeling, then why should it bring in a country that is not European? But then again what is European? The debate over this term is one that surrounds the history of Europe and the possible futures available for the European Union. Is the EU or any nations allowed within it defined by the geographic constructs shown on th...
A Democratic Deficit in the EU The question over the legitimacy of the EU has been a nearly continuous debate and many commentators appear to agree that the EU suffers from a severe ‘democratic deficit’. There are many reasons why this perception is so widespread. As a multinational body it lacks the grounding in common history and culture upon which most individual polities can draw.
...: Reassessing Legitimacy in the European Union. Journal of Common Market Studies, 40 (4), pp. 603-24.
Thomassen, J. 2009. The Legitimacy of the European Union after Enlargement. In: Thomassen, J. Eds. The Legitimacy of the European Union after Enlargement. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 67-86.
The recent global financial crisis that affected not only America but also Europe and other parts of the world resulted in massive unemployment. This is due to the high costs of operation that many corporations faced forcing them to cut on labor costs. There is need for European government interventions to avert this social crisis and prevent the occurrence of such a crisis in future. Unemployment has hit the service sector harder than other sectors with the following being the most affected: automotive, construction, tourism, finance and real estate. The global financial crisis has also increased consumer prices thus pushing inflation. According to McCathie, “the increase in July consumer prices to 1.7 per cent pushed inflation in the currency bloc up towards the European Central Bank’s target of keeping inflation at below, but close to 2 per cent. Eurozone consumer prices had stood at 1.4 per cent in June” (McCathie, 2010).
This paper provides an overview of the crisis, outlines the major causes of the crisis, examine alternative solutions to the problem
The Cold War did not directly involve Europe, but Europe and its various states were key players and key sources of tension between the two great powers, the USSR and the United States of America. The dates of the beginning and end of the Cold War are debated but 1947-1991 is generally agreed upon. In this paper, I will attempt to outline the events of the Cold War which were relevant to Europe and how this affected European integration and relations. ‘Integration’ here refers to the process of transferring powers of decision-making and implantation from national to supranational level. Europe was weakened after World War Two, especially in contrast with the USSR and the USA. Traditional European hegemony was at an end and Europe had to find a new dynamic without becoming involved in conflict with the two new superpowers.
Eurozone crisis has had huge impacts not only on the economy of the UE but also on the other countries who have economic and financial relations with the members of the union. The reason why we have decided to examine the Eurozone crisis in detail is to have a better understanding of the mechanisms behind this extremely important and complex problem and also to make accurate inferences about the solution alternatives. In our pape...
Senior, Nello Susan. "Chapters:4,15." The European Union: Economics, Policies and History. London: McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print.
Since the turn of the millennium Ireland witnessed unprecedented growth, in stark contrast to the economic hardship of the 1900’s. Ireland became one of the most prosperous countries in Europe during the 2000’s. Times were good for Ireland as unemployment was low, growth and GDP was growing year on year and inflation was constant. In 2008, all this was to change and Ireland witnessed the worst recession in its history. The banking crisis, the construction sector and poor regulation were the major contributors in the Irish recession. A fiscal crisis erupted, NAMA (National Assets Management Agency) was established to secure bad loans in banks, and a EU/IMF bailout was agreed which burdened Irish taxpayers. I will explore the causes and consequences of the crisis in this essay.
The enlargement of the European Union (EU) in 2004 and 2007 has been termed as the largest single expansion of the EU with a total of 12 new member states – bringing the number of members to 27 – and more than 77 million citizens joining the Commission (Murphy 2006, Neueder 2003, Ross 2011). A majority of the new member states in this enlargement are from the eastern part of the continent and were countries that had just emerged from communist economies (EC 2009, Ross 2011), although overall, the enlargement also saw new member states from very different economic, social and political compared to that of the old member states (EC 2009, Ross 2011). This enlargement was also a historical significance in European history, for it saw the reunification of Europe since the Cold War in a world of increasing globalization (EC 2009, Mulle et al. 2013, Ross 2011). For that, overall, this enlargement is considered by many to have been a great success for the EU and its citizens but it is not without its problems and challenges (EC 2009, Mulle et al. 2013, Ross 2011). This essay will thus examine the impact of the 2004/2007 enlargements from two perspectives: firstly, the impact of the enlargements on the EU as a whole, and thereafter, how the enlargements have affected the new member states that were acceded during the 2004/2007 periods. Included in the essay will be the extent of their integration into the EU and how being a part of the Commission has contributed to their development as nation states. Following that, this essay will then evaluate the overall success of the enlargement process and whether the EU or the new member states have both benefited from the accessions or whether the enlargement has only proven advantageous to one th...
...ation of specialized commissions to regulate and control the industry. The United States and the European Union have similar vested interests in stability and terrorism prevention and trade. Some of the Consequences of the EU and the United States interaction for international politics are, in most cases that going into conflicts may ultimately delay the effectiveness of the nation-states ability to influence as a world leader.