EU POLITICS, EUROPEAN POLITICS
OUTLINE – PROBLEMS IN EUROPE
Democracy deficit European identity EU’s future? Economic development Education Social situation
DEMOCRACY DEFICIT
Institutional Only European Parliament elected directly by
citizens Commission, Council, Court of Justice not, but
they make important decisions People don’t know how they work (transparency)
Identity Many Europeans feel that EU is not useful, not
important or even harmful They think their country lost its independence
and got nothing in return They identify more or only with their country
EUROPEAN IDENTITY – WHAT?
European Union Common set of values Sense of belonging to the EU in addition to national identities Indirectly (unity in diversity)
Citizenship European public sphere
CONSTITUTIONAL TOOLS FOR FOSTERING EUROPEAN IDENTITY – democratic participation
Symbols of the European Union European Parliament elections Referendums European Citizens’ Initiative
SYMBOLS
Anthem•Beethoven set to music the "Ode to Joy" written in 1785 by Friedrich von Schiller•human race becoming brothers
9th of May Europe Day
“United in diversity” is the motto of the European Union
.eu TLD €
Joy, beautiful divine spark,Daughter of Elysium,We enter, drunk with fire,O heavenly one, your holy shrine.Your magic once again bonds togetherWhat custom strictly divided,All Mankind become brothersWhere your gentle wings hold sway.
EP ELECTIONS
REFERENDUMS
1992 Denmark: no, France: yes, but small margin
2001 Ireland: no Constitutional Treaty
2005: France, Netherlands vote no Reform (Lisbon) Treaty
2008: Ireland votes no
EUROPEAN CITIZENS’ INITIATIVE
Constitutional tool used in several countries In the Constitutional Treaty (I-47) In Lisbon – TEU Provisions on democratic
principles (Art. 11)
ENLARGEMENT - TURKEY AND THE EU
1987 application for membership
2005 recognised as a candidate country
Conditions for joining:Democratic systemFunctioning market
economyAdopting the acquis
communautaire
ISSUES OF JOINING
“too big, too poor, and too Muslim” Referendums
Positive example for European Christian and Moslim cooperation
Common Foreign and Security Policy
OTHER CANDIDATES
Croatia Iceland The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Montenegro
Albania Serbia Kosovo
REFORM OF THE EU
6 members to 27 Supranationality Amending treaties, case-law
Constitutional Treaty 2005: France, Netherlands vote no
Reform (Lisbon) Treaty 2008: Ireland votes no
Now adopted – needs to be applied
Where is the end of EU integration?
FORM TEAMS
Write your names and the selected countries’ names on the paper
Draw the pictures you looked up
Explain about them to your group
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