...The European Council Introduction The European Council being a body of the European Union. Their duty is developing and implementing the general political guidelines of the European Union and can be considered as the primary political authority when it comes to and international affairs and leading us as a wider community. Like the common phrase “Rome wasn’t built in a day” neither was the council, it was brought about through several meetings dating back as far as 1961. The main reason for the formation of the European Council was to focus on significant challenges which the European Commission or the Council of Ministers had neither the power nor capacity to attend to. The European Council is one of the seven institutes of the European Union (EU) these are: * The European Parliament, * The European Council, * The Council of the European Union(the Council of Ministers), * The European Commission, * The Court of Justice of the European Union, * The European Central Bank, * The Court of Auditors. Not to be confused with the Council of Europe, the European Council works alongside the Council of the European Union. It consists of the heads of state or government and has twenty-seven EU Member states, the Prime Minister, Usually the president is head of both state and government but in some cases head of state doesn’t play a big role in politics and there would be a Prime Minister present, the president of the commission currently Jose Manuel Barroso...
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...European Union and Turkey Introduction to European Union In this globalization era, the world seems to be borderless, especially in Europe. This further confirmed by the formation of the European Union, which serves as a binding substance between the countries contained in the European continent. European Union is a political and economic based union, established in 1993 after the ratification of Maastricht Treaty. The international organizations are working together to create economic and political stability among member states. During its development, the European Union may not run smoothly. The emergence of the economic problems that rocked the euro zone, then Spain and Cyprus emerged as a "burden" in these economic problems. Another emerging issue is productivity, border policy, and the exchange rate that makes this organization stability unsteady. Another issue that emerged is the exclusivity of the organization. Another issues arising from the exclusivity of membership expansion problem. Preceded by the six founding countries, EU has 28 members now, as Croatia joined on 1st July 2013. The membership number is certain to grow rapidly with the number of countries that volunteered to become a member. Regardless of all the problems it faces today, the EU is still believed to be an organization that brings positive impact to its members. States' desire to be able to join the candidate can not be separated from the success tale of the European Union, particularly in the fields...
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...The European Union: Questions and Answers Kristin Archick Specialist in European Affairs March 4, 2013 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RS21372 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress The European Union: Questions and Answers Summary The European Union (EU) is a political and economic partnership that represents a unique form of cooperation among sovereign countries. The Union is the latest stage in a process of integration begun after World War II, initially by six Western European countries, to foster interdependence and make another war in Europe unthinkable. Today, the EU is composed of 27 member states, including most of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and has helped to promote peace, stability, and economic prosperity throughout the European continent. The EU has been built through a series of binding treaties, and over the years, EU member states have sought to harmonize laws and adopt common policies on an increasing number of economic, social, and political issues. EU member states share a customs union, a single market in which goods, people, and capital move freely, a common trade policy, and a common agricultural policy. Seventeen EU member states use a common currency (the euro). In addition, the EU has been developing a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), which includes a Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP), and pursuing cooperation in the area of Justice and Home Affairs (JHA)...
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...#3 November 10, 2011 European Union David McKeen Chris Deisher Twyla Dillard Brenda Rogers Flecia Williamson European Union 1 Introduction The precursor to the European Union was established after World War II in the late 1940s in an effort to unite the countries of Europe and end the period of wars between neighboring countries. These nations began to officially unite in 1949 with the Council of Europe. In 1950 the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community expanded the cooperation. The six nations involved in this initial treaty were Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. Today these countries are referred to as the "founding members." During the 1950s, the Cold War, protests, and divisions between Eastern and Western Europe showed the need for further European unification. In order to do this, the Treaty of Rome was signed on March 25, 1957, thus creating the European Economic Community and allowing people and products to move throughout Europe. Throughout the decades additional countries joined the community. In order to further unify Europe, the Single European Act was signed in 1987 with the aim of eventually creating a "single market" for trade. Europe was further unified in 1989 with the elimination of the boundary between Eastern and Western Europe - the Berlin Wall. Throughout the 1990s, the "single market" idea allowed easier trade, more citizen interaction on issues such as the environment and...
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...[Name] Role of Social Dialogue In Employment Policies Of The EU. [Course] [Instructor] [University Affiliation] [Date] ROLE OF SOCIAL DIALOGUE IN EMPLOYMENT POLICIES OF THE EU. Introduction. Evidence from various countries from the past three decades of European integration indicated that EU level social dialogue indeed plays an imperative role in the advancement of the social model of the Union. This is done through the delivery of benefits from the workers, workers as well as for the economy and the entire society as a whole . October 2011 marked the 20th anniversary of the agreement between social partners which was later officially enshrined on the mashsrctictt treat ( Alter, 1998). This lead to the establishment of procedures for governance of the labor and management on shaping as well s executing the EU employment as well as social policies (Bailey,2009). According to (Armingeon,et al. 2008), the European social dialogue entails the discussions , negotiations , consultations and joint actions that involve the organizations that represent two sides of the European industries, namely the worker sad the employers. The EU social dialogue primarily takes two forms: • The tripartite dialogue that entails the public authorities • The bipartite dialogue between the trade union organizations and the European employers. Usually this happens across the cross industry levels and also within the sectoral committees of social dialogue As an integral...
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...INTRODUCTION The EU is one of the most unusual and widest-ranging political actors in the international system and has gradually expanded to encompass foreign policy initiatives towards nearly every corner of the globe, using a full range of foreign policy tools: diplomatic, economic, and now limited military operations related to peacekeeping and peace enforcement. Foreign policy of the European Union has a history of about two decades during which the EU has managed to overcome the characterization of “political dwarf” and became one of the key centers of global politics. In this dynamic world where everything is changing so fast, the development of foreign policy of the European Union acquires excessive actuality. While talking about the EU, it is necessary to mention the fact that in the relations between different countries the it always tends to be in the dominant position and is trying to be one of the global political actors. That is why this topic is very actual. I am focusing on my paper from the analytical point of view. My research paper consists of three parts. The first part is dedicated to the formation of the EU. I’ll speak about the enlargement processes, especially the fifth enlargement identifying its positive and negative aspects. In the second part the main stress is placed on the development of the EU. Here is going to be examined the candidate countries, Turkey’s integration perspectives. The third part...
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...------------------------------------------------- Policy Paper, spring 2012 ------------------------------------------------- Is a Greek exit from the European Union inevitable? 0909512 Table of Contents Pg. List of Illustrations 3 Executive Summary 4 1.0 Introduction 5 2.0 The Economic Cost and Benefit for State Membership of the EMU 5 2.1 Benefits of EMU Membership & Mechanisms 5 2.2 Costs of EMU Membership 7 3.0 Contextual Factors: The Profusion of Dept 10 3.1 The Eurozone Crisis 10 3.3 Greece- The Forefront of the Euro Area Crisis 13 4.0 Alternate Policies and the Effective Consequences 15 4.1 Predicament 15 4.2 Abetting Dependent on Austerity 16 4.3 Creditor-Led Default 17 4.4 Debtor-led Default and Greek Haircuts 19 4.5 Greek Exit 20 5.0 Recommendation 21 Appendices: Appendix 1: Preferential liberalization References List of Illustrations Pg. Illustration 1: The cost of EMU- Diminishing Domestic Flexibility to Asymmetric Macro Shocks 7 Illustration 2: Cost and benefit of Monetary Unions 9 Illustration 3: Evolution of Nominal Unit Labor Costs in the Eurozone Pre to the US Credit Crunch 9 Illustration 4: Current Account Balances in Percentage GDP 10 Illustration 5: Core Bank Exposure to the Weaker Eurozone Member States 12 Illustration 5: Holders of Greek Government Bonds and Dept (in...
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...CREATION OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION The process of European integration was launched soon after the end of the World War II. It relies on tragic experiences connected with the largest and also most tragic armed conflict in human history, caused by Nazi Germany. After the war, in Europe, and more specifically in its western part, there arose conditions favourable for the start of a new, planned integration of the countries of the Old Continent. Western European countries, though very weakened after the war (destroyed economy, infrastructure, human resources), were, however, as never before agreeable to the necessity of defending basic human rights and democratic values. Western European leaders decided to undertake coordinated actions aiming at the reconstruction of European countries and their economies and introduction of a new political order, which could guarantee the security of nations and give a chance for their successful development in the future. The genesis of the integration process in Europe after the World War II: In the process of planning the introduction of a new political order in post-war Europe, it was acknowledged that the key task was the reconstruction of European economies. Western European leaders realised that only efficient and effective European economy would be a foundation on which new safety and development structures could be built. The American aid plan for Europe - the European Recovery Plan, called the Marshall Plan, was a great support for...
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...Institutions of European Union Introduction The European Union is a unique economic and political partnership between 28 European countries that together cover much of the continent, created in the aftermath of the Second World War. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC), formed by the inner six countries in 1951 and 1958, respectively. Through successive enlargements, the Union has grown from the six founding states—Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands—to the current 28. It took around 60 years from the Treaty of Brussels, 1948, to the Treaty of Lisbon, 2009, to get its final form. In 1993, under Maastricht Treaty the name European Economic Community was changed to European Union, which reflects the evolution of an economic union to an organization standardizing system of law to maintain common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development. Human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights: these are the core values of the EU. During the formation and development of European Union the number, structure, cross-link and interdependency of institutions and other bodies increased (Figure 1). In our work we will explain the history and development of political and legal institutions of European Union. Figure 1, Power structure of main political and legal institutions of European Union . European Parliament ...
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...As exemplified by The European Union (EU), regional economic integration is replete with political, economic, and cultural danger. Discuss through the use of valid, real-life examples A regional economic integration, is when a certain number of nations, agree to reduce or eliminate economic barriers (and in certain levels of integration non-economic barriers as well), in order to create an adequate atmosphere between them for the flow of goods, services and factors of production. There are 5 levels of economic integration and the bigger the level is, the bigger the danger is. The EU is the biggest economic integration in the world because they have created an economic and monetary Union. After World War II, Europe was devastated in economic, political, moral and cultural terms. That’s why a certain number of countries decided to sign an agreement of “non-war” between them. Further on, the European Economic Community was created and more countries were joining it. This was the beginning of the biggest political and economic integration in the world, signed in 1957 (known as treaty of Rome). Then border barriers were removed and in 1993, the European Union was formally established. The objective of the European Union is to create an economic and political union between the members, to create a single market with common policies and a common government, which lead them to a regional economic integration. This integration has shown some profits and some dangers too. We’re going...
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...2012 European Party Members Real Agenda With 27 member states, 23 official languages and 735 Members of European Parliament (MEPs), it is difficult to comprehend cohesion within the European Union, but that is exactly what Gail McElroy and Kenneth Benoit discuss in their article “Policy Positioning in the European Parliament” (2012). The scope of political groups in addition to political parties within the European Parliament is constantly changing. With each new election national parties switch affiliation and new national parties are formed. These national parties range on the entire left-right spectrum and each party is distinguishable from one another (McElroy and Beniot). What distinguishes these national parties and how they are formed is somewhat of a trick question, so having experts to look to for input is necessary. Expert survey methodologies were used by the authors to conduct research, giving it more credibility due to the general publics’ lack of knowledge of EP party groups let alone party placement. In European election surveys, party placement questions are not even asked. Also, the response rate of experts for the prior article’s survey was 45 percent, and increase of seven percent from 2007 (McElroy and Benoit). With national parties evolving, changing and disappearing altogether, choosing a party new group is not uncommon for national parties. The way party groups are chosen is largely prompted by an effort to eliminate incongruous policy between...
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...Denmark originally applied to join the European Economic Community on August 10, 1961. They strategically applied for membership one day after the United Kingdom had applied. French president Charles de Gaulle had vetoed the British application to join the European Economic Community. After the United Kingdom’s rejection, Denmark had declined the membership because they did not want to join the EEC without the United Kingdom’s admittance. Years later, the United Kingdom once again applied for membership to join the European Community. They joined on January 1, 1973. When Denmark had seen that the United Kingdom had joined the EC, they decided to apply for membership and became a member at the same time as the United Kingdom (Europa, 2013.) There are many reasons for a country to join the European Union. Each country has certain interests that they will benefit from by joining. Denmark is one of the most competitive economies in the world. I will now talk about why Denmark had joined the European Union, what issues the country faces and show why Denmark has such a competitive economy. Denmark had joined the European Union in 1973. There was a vote by the Danish population and 63.3% were in favor of EU admittance. The population saw the benefits of joining the EU and believed that this would help the country. From the start Denmark strategically joined because the United Kingdom had confirmed that they would join the EU. The reason for this was because Denmark...
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...© 2009 Institute of International and European Affairs. All rights reserved. This Publication may be reproduced in full or in part if accompanied with the following citation: Keatinge, Patrick & Tonra, Ben, European Security and Defence Policy and the Lisbon Treaty, Institute of International and European Affairs, Dublin, Ireland, July 2009. As an independent forum, the Institute does not express opinions of its own. The views expressed in its publications are solely the responsibility of the authors. ISBN: 978-1-907079-04-7 EAN: 9781907079047 About the authors Patrick Keatinge is Emeritus Associate Professor of Political Science at Trinity College Dublin and Chairperson of the IIEA working group on ESDP. Ben Tonra is Jean Monnet Professor of European Foreign, Security and Defence Policy at the UCD College of Human Sciences and Project Leader of the IIEA working group on ESDP. Cover photograph © Aidan Crawley, Defence Forces, May 2008 Graphic design, type and layout by Brian Martin European Security and Defence Policy and The Lisbon Treaty © Institute of International and European Affairs 2009 Foreword This briefing paper is another brilliant contribution to the Institute’s background work on issues arising out of the Lisbon Treaty by Professors Ben Tonra and Patrick Keatinge. It describes the reality of European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP), as it has developed over the past six years and explains each of the relevant provisions in the Lisbon Treaty. It puts...
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...The initial idea to form the International Monetary Fund originated in the year 1944, when members of 45 countries gathered for a meeting in the town of Bretton Woods in New Hampshire in the United States. The objective of this meeting was to agree on a structure for economic cooperation between countries after the Second World War in order to avoid the negative impacts caused by the economic policies in the past which resulted in the Great depression of the 1930s.The International Monetary Fund was formally established in December in the year 1945 with 29 countries signing an agreement. Its membership gradually increased during the 1950s and 1960s with most of the African countries joining the International Monetary Fund after gaining independence. Currently, the International Monetary Fund has evolved to become an organization which consists of 188 member countries working with common objectives of promoting worldwide monetary cooperation, providing financial strength to countries, promoting international trade between countries, reducing unemployment and poverty in the world. The new countries who became members of the International Monetary Fund between the years 1945 and 1971 gave their consent to keep their respective exchange rates fixed at rates that can only be changed to revise a significant inequality in the balance of payments, and could only be done so with the consent of the International Monetary Fund. This system was referred to as the par value system or the...
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...Minyie Abadi Origin of the European Union common foreign policy Informally established by the Member States in 1970, the European Political Cooperation (EPC) was institutionalised under the Single European Act of 1987, and essentially provided mechanisms for consultation among Member States on matters of general foreign policy. In the light of the geo-political changes under way in Europe the early 1990s (German reunification, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the end of the Warsaw Pact), and of intensified nationalistic tensions in the Balkans that would later lead to the dismembering of Yugoslavia, the Union’s Member States decided to establish a “common foreign policy” on the basis of the provisions of the Maastricht Treaty (1993), subsequently modified at Amsterdam and Nice. Today’s European Union works to ensure a high level of cooperation in all sectors of international relations with the following aims: • defend its values, fundamental interests, security, independence and integrity; • consolidate and support democracy, the rule of law, human rights and the principles of international law; • maintain peace, preventing conflicts and strengthening international security, in accordance with the objectives and principles of the UN Charter as well as the Final Helsinki Act and the goals of the Paris Charter, including those concerning external borders; • foster sustainable development in developing countries on economic, social and environmental planes, with the main...
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