European Union
The idea of a single united Europe might never have risen if it had not been for the devastation left by World War II. After the war, economic unity became a very appealing concept. The Western European countries were no longer a great power; France and England lost most of their African and Asian Colonies and Germany was divided in two. As this was all taking place, the United States and Soviet Union quickly emerged as the world?s leading powers causing the European countries to be economically dependent on them. In order to promote economic stability after World War II, ten European countries set up the Council of Europe in 1949. This council did not focus on national defense or military activities but instead attempted to unify the members in order to improve their economic well being. As time passed, more countries joined bringing the number up to twenty-three. In 1950, a French statesman named Jean Monnet, promoted the idea of unification based on economic needs of European countries. Monnet approached France?s foreign minister, Robert Schuman, with an idea of uniting France and Germany?s coal and steel resources. Schuman liked the idea and had him draft a document known as the schuman Declaration. This declaration put Franc
In order to put the Single Europe Act into effect, the first task of the member countries was to eliminate all barriers. The broadest barriers have been, as you might expect, those which have been set up by the governments. Although some travelers within the European Union may still occasionally experience some delay at the Union?s internal borders if the immigration officers chose to examine their passports or perform spot checks on them for drugs or other controlled substances, routine frontier controls on goods have completely been eliminated. ?Europe?s traders and road haulers now have a clear run through internal EU borders, saving them time and money?(Monti 14). Before 1993, every truckload of goods had to stop at the internal EU borders for customs and tax clearance, and sometimes even for inspection. This took place even when some goods were already cleared before they were shipped. On January 1 1993, when the customs checks within EU countries were abolished, 60 million customs forms were saved which caused 62% of the 13, 500 companies responding to the Eurostat survey to benefit from the end of the border delays. Other than that, abolition of routine border controls reduced costs for Europe?s traders and road haulers by more than 5bn a year. Except it wasn?t only customs controls which had to be eliminated, in fact technical barriers such as rules and regulation proved to be more ?pervasive? (Monti 23) barriers to trade than customs controls. But these barriers cannot be abolished like so many unneeded customs posts. It is crucial to have some technical rules and regulations to protect the health and safety of consumers and citizens. Yet it was clear that many of these rules and regulations were pointless and in order to achieve the goal of the Single Europe Act, some compromises had to be made. It was this reasoning that led the EU to make an assault on the technical barriers a major campaign which removed some major and many minor obstacles. After World War II, when Europe looked at the rest of the world, it seen itself as cut up, weak in productivity, innovation and jobs but potentially powerful and capable of earning itself a place among the great giants such as the United States, Japan, and the newly industrialized countries of Asia. When the Single Market program was enacted it was aimed at correcting all of Europe?s problems to position it as a world power. Although most of Europe?s internal physical and technical borders were eliminated, the next strategy was to eliminate external borders. According to former Chancellor Schmidt, the next millennium will be ruled by two triangles: one military, and the other economic. The first will be made up of the United States, Russia, and China. The second will be the United States, Japan, and the European Union. If Europe is able to maintain itself within this triangle, it will eventually earn itself a place within the first triangle as a great military power. But if it is unable to remain within the economic triangle, then its elimination will increase its present weakness and exclude it in the long run of military powers. It is for this reason that the European Union strives to make non-member countries dependent on it. In November 1991, the European Union decided to impose economic sanctions on Yugoslavia whom 60% of its trade is with the EU. The sanctions were designed to pressure the Yugoslavian government to end civil war between Serbs and Croats. At a meeting in Rome, the EU voted to withdraw trade preferences from Yugoslavia, to terminate an agreement for economic aid, and to urge the United Nations to impose an oil embargo against the country. The Unions actions were an important step in gaining political respect for its community. By acting as a political power, the twelve United Nations demonstrated their power by pressuring another nation. They showed the world just how powerful the European Union is and what it is capable of doing. The acceleration in
Some common words found in the essay are:
European Union, European Community, Single Market, Europe Act, Workers EC, European Market, West Germany, Europe Acts, Dollar United, Euro Dollar, single market, european union, single europe, single europe act, european community, europe act, single market program, market program, european countries, living standards, currency fluctuations, 340 people, world war ii, comprehensive supply program, ambitious comprehensive supply,
Approximate Word count = 3007
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)
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