THE THEN, NOW AND WHEN OF THE
EU
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A PUBLICATION BY THE GRAZ MEDIA TEAM
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EDIT O RIAL The International Office of EYP has recently published the Annual Report for 2013. The numbers presented prove our organisation to be an exceptional one. With 355 events in a year, totalling to 971 days of activity and an involvement of 27000 participants; EYP’s great impact on European youth is indisputable. While accomplishing so much, EYP continues to develop. The people who move EYP forward never stop trying to improve the organisatıon they belong to, the organisation they form. In this organic process, EYP, of course, has its ups and downs. The dismissal of the media team of the 74th International Session in Riga was a down. EYP Journalism has always been a matter of discussion. Let alone its impact, its mere existence as an essential element of a session has been subject to dispute. Regrettably, the opinion which downplays the importance of EYP media nourishes its arguments from a past of empty, entertainment-oriented outputs. However, EYP Journalism has come a long way. The pioneer period of professional and academic outputs is over. Currently, EYP
Editor: Berkok Yüksel (TR) Editorial Assistants: Marc Fisher (AT) Rucsandra Pintea (RO) Veronika Wilhelmová (CZ) Journalists: Caroline Opperman (NL) Florian Rogner (AT) Francesca Gigli (IT) Kristen Rosario (SE) Leo Sjöberg (SE) Laure Steinville (FR) Miguel Vera Campuzano (ES)
This media output is a part of Project Collateral ©
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media has evolved into an opinion-sharing platform fitting the European Youth Parliament’s educational objectives. With a few exceptions here and there, media in EYP is now an indispensable part of both the academic and personal development objectives of EYP. With this booklet we, the media team of Graz 2014, want to prove that a session without the representation of EYP Journalism does not fit the European Youth Parliament’s educational aims. We have provided 93 delegates with an opinion booklet on the past, present and future of the EU using only pictures taken by our team, published high-quality pictures and videos representative of our organisation, implemented a participant-oriented social media connection with another session and initiated a collaboration project involving two other sessions to get our voice across Europe and reach out to more young Europeans. Graz 2014 was a one time experience. However EYP will continue to have an impact on many people. Hoping that in the future, the potential of EYP Journalism is acknowledged and promoted, we present you our work.
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INSTITUTIONS IDENTITY IMMIGRATION INTEGRATION MONEY OPPOSITE SUPERSTATE COLLAPSE LEO SJÖBERG EXPLAINS THE ORIGINS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE FEAR DEEPLY ROOTED IN ITS HISTORY
LEO SJÖBERG AND MIGUEL VERA CAMPUZANO ON THE EUROPEAN SPIRIT
FRANCESCA GIGLI GIVES INSIGHT ON LIFE AS AN IMMIGRANT IN THE EU AND THE LEGISLATIVE ASPECT BEHIND IT
MIGUEL VERA CAMPUZANO OUTLINES THE RELATION BETWEEN EU’S INTEGRATION AND ITS PLACE IN POLITICS
LAURE STEINVILLE ON DISPLACED AUSTERITY MEASURES
KRISTEN ROSARIO ENVISIONS AN IRONICALLY REVERSED FUTURE FOR EUROPEANS
CAROLINE OPPERMAN DEVELOPS ON THE UTOPIAN UNIFICATION OF EUROPE AND ITS MULTIPLE BENEFITS
FLORIAN ROGNER PRESENTS AN APOCALYPTIC SCENARIO ON THE FUTURE OF EUROPE
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THEN
1948 Brussels Treaty signed between France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium and the United Kingdom, in an effort towards European post-war security cooperation as it contained a mutual defense clause
1985 Schengen Agreement led to the creation of Europe’s borderless Schengen Area in 1995 and 1957 Rome Treaty proposed the gradual abFrance, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Luxemolition of border checks at bourg and the Netherlands sign the Treaty the signatories’ common of Rome creating the European Economic borders. Community (EEC) with its common market and freedoms.
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1997 Amsterdam Treaty meant a greater emphasis on citizenship and the rights of individuals, increased powers for the European Parliament, proposed a Community area of freedom, security and justice and reformed the institutions in the run-up to enlargement.
Single European Act 1986
the first major revision of the Treaty of Rome, establishing the Single Market and leading the way for the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy
Lisbon Treaty 2007
Maastricht Treaty 1992
created the European Union and led to the creation of the single European currency, the euro. Expanded the EU’s jurisdiction to Common Foregn and Security Policy (Pillar II) and Justice and Home Affairs (Pillar III)
proposed a move from unanimity to qualified majority voting while transferring more power to the European Parliament, established the ordinary legislative procedure and a President of the European Council and a High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and finally made the Charter of Fundamental Rights legally binding.
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FROM S TO PEA SUCCEE TO FAI L On May 9th, 1950, French foreign minister Robert Schuman submitted a proposal that would forever change Europe and the world. A year after the proposal, we saw the establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and then, after decades, we got the European Union. And it was all because of fear.
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STEEL ACE EDING L by Leo Sjöberg
neutralise competition between European countries over natural resources.
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aving just come out of an incredibly devastating Second World War, countries were determined to avoid another battle. Many European states were concerned that the newly reached peace could be scattered at any point, and hence looked for a way to create strong ties across the continent. A new form of union, first mentioned in 1946 by Winston Churchill, was finally proposed in 1950.
The idea Schuman suggested in 1950 was the creation of the ECSC. The concept was based on the sense that member countries should be so dependent on each other that starting a war would be impossible. This was to be done by founding a common market for coal and steel for all member states, in order to
The impact of this declaration did not lie just in the creation of the ECSC, but rather in its vastness of consequences. Aside from establishing a single market across the Community, it also marked the birth of Europe as a single political entity. This meant that there could be general decision-making affecting all states, which played an important role to set the standards for the new institutions that were to come. This decision-making process was also what would allow a trade union of six members to develop into an international political and economical union with 28 Member States. Despite the positive impact that this proposition might have had, it is also vital to point out two important aspects. Firstly, this was not a union created in good will, but rather formed due to fear. The agreement was not out of friendliness and an urge to cooperate, but mostly seen as a necessity to escape future conflict. Secondly, the proposition did not really lead to what it was meant for: it became a union perceived as a political entity, instead of the trade union as it was initially suggested. From the very beginning, the main idea was to reduce tariffs and other trade expansion barriers in order to develop in-
tra-European trade. The ECSC was also meant to investigate the possibility of creating a free trade area within Europe. This however was not the final outcome. The ECSC had started out with the High Authority, the Common Assembly, the Special Council of Ministers and the Court of Justice but as time went on, what used to be a trading union grew in political power and activity and founded several new institutions, each with their separate focus. 51 years later, in 1992, the Maastricht Treaty was signed, officially established the EU. By then, there were seven institutions and 11 agencies. Pressing fast forward to present day, there are now over 40 agencies to accomplish various tasks. Whether or not this should be seen as a failure comes down, of course, to one’s personal view on the situation. On one hand, it can be seen as an unnecessary development that has increased complexity and, while meant to greatly improve European economy, has actually worked counterproductively and further caused economic downfalls. On the other hand, it might just as well have been the necessary step to be taken for a rapidly developing Europe. Despite not following the original intent of the Schuman Declaration, what was once built out of great fear has now become one of the main and most powerful political entities in the world. This is a cooperation that has gone from six Member States to 28 and at the same time has expanded its targets to not only include trade but also encompass much larger questions such as environment, health and education. There was a time when the biggest European cooperation was a trade union composed by only a couple of states. Today, it is the world’s largest economy and has the world’s second largest military budget. With such accomplishments, surely the union that emerged was no failure, regardless of the original intent. •
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THE VALUE OF AN
IDENTITY written by photography by
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Leo sjOberg & M覺guel vera campuzano
If asked a simple question, such as ”Are you European”, you would say yes. But do you feel European? What does it actually mean? It is most likely that you cannot, see yourself having a European identity, especially since that concept might be unfamiliar to you. After all, when we get acquainted to each other at EYP sessions, we do not specifically mention we are Europeans. Instead, we name our own nationality, since it only feels natural to do so. In a European context seems different, since, to some extent, we feel disconnected. The massive cultural and lingual diversity in Europe has lead to large problems creating a single identity, and to understand why that is, we must take a look at the past.•
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hile patriotism and pride in one’s country is entirely normal, nowadays it appears that we have stretched our understanding of our own individual identities, and in doing so what we define as our nationalities. Nationalism is a belief, creed or political ideology that involves an individual identifying with, or becoming attached to, his or her nation. The ideology of a politically united Europe has been evident in the European culture since the Middle Ages and this idea has inspired the proposals of many forms of confederation among our countries. Within our continent there are many individuals that believe that Europe is, or more commonly, should be a single nation. The European Union is, in essence, a form of these proposals. While the EU is not a single nation, it does represent a significant effort being made in order to further connect European countries. European Nationalism is not necessarily the movement towards federalism, it is about feeling united by our geographical location. While the United States became one nation and thus has a US nationalism, if anything we, the citizens of Europe, seem to have latched on to our own sense of nationality. While this seems like a strange concept, it is certainly a factor. In some cases, people throughout the continent
and especially those who are involved in business and politics feel more European than even their own nationality. A Pan-European identity refers to the sense of personal identification with Europe. At times Europe is used synonymously with the EU, as 500 million European citizens also are a member of the EU. However, many European countries are not EU Member States and that does not prevent them from believing themselves to be European. In many situations, people are beginning to think of themselves as both Europeans and nationalists. Pan-European means that the European identity applies throughout Europe. The European way has led to people developing contrasting opinions on national and European ideologies and ways of thinking. ‘Europeanism’ is a related term that refers to the assertion that people of Europe have a distinctive set of political, economic and social norms and values that are slowly diminishing and replacing existing national or state-based norms and values. At present, European integration co-exists with national loyalties and patriotism. A development of European identity is regarded as a vital objective in pursuing the establishment of a politically, economically and militarily influential united Europe in the world. It equally supports the
“A development of a European identity is regarded as a vital objective in pursuing the establishment of a politically, economically and militarily influential united Europe in the world.” 10
foundations of common European values, such as of fundamental human rights and spread of welfare. It also inherently strengthens the supra-national democratic and social institutions of the European Union. The concept of common European identity is viewed rather as a by-product than the main goal of the European integration process, and is actively promoted. There are however dangers of this European identity that have surfaced. The increase of pride and unity among European countries can lead to an exclusivity of its members. While it is of course a positive sign that Member States are showing a level of unity and appear to be achieving the ambitions the EU was founded upon, it is important to remember that we are not an exclusive club and thus it is not acceptable to exclude and deem ourselves better than outside European borders and neglect our neighbours and beyond. This pride in being European should be acknowledged, but it should not enable us to reject others. Inclusion and unity is what has brought us to this point, taking any other position would be a step in the wrong direction.
While in recent years there seems to be an increase in the Pan-European identity approach there has also been a growth in actual nationalism which opposes this. The United Kingdom has not been shy in emphasising its wish to leave the EU and become a more self-focused country. France and the Netherlands, nationalist parties are uniting in euroscepticisms as shown by Le Pen and Wilder. Throughout the continent the struggle between these conflicting views is growing. â—†
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photo collage product of Project Collateral delegates from Graz - Valencia - Frankfurt
2014 Graz Youth Summit
Graz2014 officially begins with the Opening Ceremony
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#now
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TO SEEK REFUGE IN EUROPE HOW IT FEELS
BY FRANCESCA GI
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IGLI
16 years old, is a Syrian teenager. Amiir, 21, comes from Afghanistan. Bashir, 53, Yana, is the Somalian father of two beautiful kids. Their lives, origins and histories are completely different; yet, they share an experience that brings them closer and binds them irreversibly. When Yana was 14 years old, indeed, her parents decided she should have a better future. They put their money together, read a prayer, and bought her a ticket to Spain. She would travel on a ferry with an acquaintance, and once arrived she would find a job and settled down. After all, Europe was the land of opportunities. Amiir thought the same when he decided fleeing to Italy. He had a passion for arts at the time, and wanted to study in Rome the monuments he’d long dreamed of. With a little job in the evenings and at weekends, he would have attended university, far from Afghanistan and the nightmares he was still having of his violent childhood. Family was, on the other hand, Bashir’s reason to leave: although he was already on his fifties, he fled from Somalia to send some money home, and save his beloved from a future of certain poverty. He would have gone to Greece by boat, and found a job at his arrival. Things went differently instead. ◆
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the EU, and has to do with Immigration Policies.
lthough on opposite shores, the boat waiting for them was indeed no more that some piece of ramshackle watercraft: when Yana entered, she almost couldn’t breathe for the number of people crammed inside. Amiir set sail at night, when the sea was high. At some point he believed he would have drowned, but when he finally got to Sicily he thought everything was over. He didn’t know that it was only the beginning of his misfortunes. Nor did the others.
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The ones succeeding to make it onto Spanish territory, on the other hand, don’t face a better perspective: detention centres run by the government are the only form of assistance they can hope for. That’s where Yana celebrated her 17th birthday, but she was not the only young girl in the camp. To Amiir it went even worse. When he landed in Italy, indeed, he was lead to one of the many ‘reception centres’, which revealed to be a sordid, overcrowded camp. The day he left it, he ended up on the street, sleeping in train stations and constantly struggling to make a living. Bashir found a similar welcome in Greece, being retained in a squalid camp in the outskirts of Athens.
The stories of Yana, Amiir and Bahir aren’t unfortunately single cases, but represent the sad reality shared by the majority of refugees migrating to Europe everyday. Thinking of finding a better future, as well as employment or education opportunities, asylum-seekers cross the Mediterranean heading to southern European countries Countries like Italy, Greece and Spain such as Turkey, Italy, Greece and Spain as have indeed been facing increasing flows first stops. of immigrants in the recent years, many times failing to provide them with shelter, But the latter hardly ever fulfil their due to inefficiency in their asylum systems. expectations: when fleeing to the towns However, their examples go far beyond of Ceuta and Melilla, Spanish enclaves in national borders, being the symptoms of Northern Africa, migrants will for instance a wider European issue, more than the bump into a six-meter-high fence, built single problems of a country. This issue lies purposely to keep them out. down in the very legislative foundations of
Often revised, but still in the focus of criticism, the European Union has been working on them since 1999, the year the first idea of a Common European Asylum System (CEAS) was put forward. This framework, aimed at sharing responsibility to welcome asylum seekers among Member States, over the years has seen the birth of the directives that regulate migrations today. Among the most important and discussed, the Asylum Procedures Directive and the Dublin Regulation are indeed the very laws, which decide Yana’s and other’s future in Europe. The Asylum Procedures Directive was first born as the lowest common denominator between Member States, but its regulation was often accused to be vague and inefficient. Derogations did in fact allow Member States to keep their own rules, even if these weren’t respecting agreed standards. Criticism over the Asylum Procedure resulted therefore in its revision, focused in particular on fastening asylum operations, clarifying rules on appeals in front of courts, and helping immigrants with special needs.1
Migration currents in Mediterranean countries. photo by Francesca Gigli
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The Dublin Regulation, instead, established the Member State responsible for the examination of the asylum application, in order to provide a rapid transfer of the asylum seeker to that country. Most often, anyway, the responsible Member State would be the one through which the refugee first entered the EU.2 But doesn’t it sound contradictory? On the one hand the EU is indeed trying to harmonise the Member States asylum legislation, so that immigrants can be wisely distributed in the European area, but on the other the refugees’ responsibility very often lays in the country of their arrival. It’s not difficult to imagine, therefore, the difficulties faced by Mediterranean countries in handling a number of immigrants which exceeds their capacity; in this light, extreme actions such as raising up barriers around enclaves acquire a new sense, and sordid camps are seen from a different perspective: the one of the hosting Member States.
called for a complete revision or replacement of the Dublin Regulation4. The refugees are not anonymous people. They’re Yana, Amiir, Bashir, but also many others who carry their stories with them, and leave everything in seek of a better future. Although some countries are already overburdened by asylum applications, the EU as a whole still holds a perspective for immigrants, and has the moral duty to make asylum for them a reality, more than just an ideal. Whether it will be necessary to revise the entire Immigration Legislation or not, Europeans must not forget they were once immigrants themselves, and they therefore hold a debt with humanity for the help they received in past times. Immigration doesn’t only have to do with refugees’ asylum, but also and most of all with the moral dignity of the entire European Union. ◆
Take Italy, for example. Only over the Easter weekend more than 1,200 African migrants were escorted ashore in Sicily by Italy’s navy and coast guard, bringing to nearly 22,000 the total of those arrived on Italian shores this year3. Their asylum didn’t only increase the already unsustainable country’s burden, but most of all affected the condition of the refugees, who happen to be the first victims when the system is not working. A concern in this sense has been also reiterated by the Council of Europe’s Commissioners, who
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EUROPEAN EUROPÉEN EUROPÄISCH EUROPEO AVRUPALI EUROPEISK EUROPEES EUROPEU EVROPSKÝ EIROPAS EUROOPPALAIIN EUROOPA EUROPOS 18
FORCE THROUGH UNITY The EU’s international importance is one of the the main reasons for which many countries apply for membership. Where does this status originate from? BY MIGUEL VERA CAMPUZANO
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ntering the EU has always been and still is a desire for many countries, Iceland, Turkey and Kosovo being some of the many examples of this phenomenon. Membership, however, comes with consequences as well. The wish to membership only can have strong implications on a country’s both home and foreign affairs – which was precisely the case of Ukraine, when Euromaidan interfered with Russia’s plans to establish new connections in Eurasia. And there is obviously a reason for that to happen. Firstly, security and economic resources are two major advantages of becoming a Member State. The sense of stability is what determines European countries to join the Union, along with the idea of an open-border, free trade coalition that could provide them with the opportunity to easier economic growth. In other words, European states strive for protection and rely on the EU to offer them the desired support.
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On the other side, as EU institutions have transformed along the years, making their way into their current form, Member States have slowly gained influence on Europe-wide decision-making and, hence, on international politics, another key benefit to EU membership. It is mainly because of the geographical and econom-
ic prosperity that the EU has a strong pres- by reducing their territory and population, ence in the global scenario we experience but also result in the EU losing geopolititoday. cally relevant areas as well. One can easily notice, however, that the on-going economic and social crises have made their mark on European development, leading to large discrepancies among Member States. When Europe first hit this rough path, EU’s financially stable countries had to immediately assist the struggling economies such as Greece, Portugal, and Spain, in order to prevent a full collapse. These measures were efficient up to a certain point, yet they have increased the level of EU scepticism, since indebted countries had to reimburse a very controversial interest that got up to almost 8% in very concrete cases. What was supposed to be an unconditional help through the EU, which eventually turned into a loan with high interest. Having this image of common potential distrust amongst Europeans, the links between Member States are weakening because of this uncertainty, thus limiting free boarders and trading. Similar accounts are to be seen on a smaller scale, in the form of nationalist manifestos that, over the past five years, had made their marks on European politics. Scotland, Catalonia, Flanders or Bavaria were not really taken into consideration as entities before the outburst of the financial crisis, and it was not until then that desires of independence became a serious social and political fact. People’s reaction to the repercussions of the crisis is an act of simple escape. This wave of nationalism endangering European integration will not only make the Member States lose power
So, unlike the United States, Europe is facing a complete challenge with its integration process due to the rising post-crisis Euroscepticism and nationalist movements threatening European integrity. When looking to the actual reason of the US’ power in the world, it is clearly seen how it is not only because of their political and economic nature, but rather thanks to its strong federal-system integration and cooperation among states – putting aside multiple coordinated coup d’états organised all over the world every now and then. So that sense of unity and integration is crucial to be taken into consideration, since it is the main reason behind EU’s power. Taking into consideration how our administrations and enterprises have already adapted to an integrated Europe and the positive result it had on our economy, it is safe to say that we have reached a point where dividing the Union is not an option any longer. We need to stay strong so that our economy does not fade away in the current financial and social context. Bearing in mind that our countries’ images on international level would probably be insignificant without such a solid umbrella entity as the EU, we need to remain united, in order to sustain our position in global politics and be able to help each other. What we need is force through unity. ◆
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by Laure Steinville
AUSTERITY INJECTION
In the days before the session, President Yanukovych’s unexpected withdrawal from an unprecedented EU trade integration pact caused the streets of Kiev to flood with protestors. The ongoing unrest was met with a brutal police crackdown which has exacerbated tensions with EU Member States. But does withdrawal from the agreement necessarily symbolise a step away from Europe back into the arms of Moscow? And what do the protests tell us about the wider culture of social resistance in Europe? • domestic terrorists caused a massive
On April 10th, 2014, suspected explosion outside the Bank of Greece, a building situated in the heart of Athens.
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hese events were not intended to result in casualty. The purpose was mostly symbolic, since it occurred a few hours before the anticipated return of Greece to the international bond market1, an event considered as a milestone in the country’s journey through the debt crisis. The Greek government announced last Wednesday it was issuing a four-year bond, the first one since its banishment from international markets in 2010. The government has called for the return to the bond market as further proof that Greece is emerging from its critical state. After two years of crisis and three years of recession. Eurostat2 reported that the European economy experienced significant growth
in the second quarter of 2013, and continued to recover at a steady pace in the second half of the year. Short-term indicators predict a continuous economic expansion over the next few months, as recovery is expected to become increasingly driven by domestic demand spreading across Member States. Internal markets are set to continue developing in the near future, slowly replacing net exports as the main source of profit. Discrepancies between Member States are to balance out, particularly as even those Member States most heavily affected by the crisis are on the road to recovery. ◆
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hese reassuring words shape European political THowever, discourse; this is what EU officials want us to know. there is a larger, darker picture, in which un-
employment reaches an alarming 11% rate, with more than 26 million Europeans out of work. In Spain and Greece, unemployment rates are swelling over 26% with 50% youth unemployment. These figures are directly related to austerity measures, so called ‘adopted policies’ by politicians praising austerity for reducing the debt. Nevertheless, the debt-to-GDP3 ratio has increased in all EU states since 2008, and especially in the Eurozone periphery, where austerity measures were strictly implemented. Therefore, due to inaccurate financial analysis, austerity measures have only delayed economic progress. Moreover, a noticeable increase in poverty in seven countries challenges the official European Union discourse. In Greece, Cyprus, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Romania and Spain, there was a significant rise in youth poverty and social exclusion due to the austere crisis management measures,. For instance, in Ireland, income disparity became more visible between 2012 and 2013, with the top 20% of the population earning five times more than the bottom 20%. Indeed, the emergence of a new ‘poor class’, consisting mostly of young graduates attempting to enter the labour market, is profoundly troubling. This entire generation is dealing with poverty from a rather young age and, as it is fore-
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shadowed, will be facing the same prospects further on. Therefore, not only can we argue that this financial crisis is far from being over, but also point out how it has mostly victimised the poor for the mistakes of the wealthy. As a result, the intensified differences between social classes gave rise to a poisonous political atmosphere. Particularly in Northern Europe, there has been an increase in support of extreme right-wing parties. They mostly share Eurosceptic views, rejecting any form of common agreement and are willing to destroy the Eurozone. Unfortunately, this crisis also managed to weaken all European institutions and bonds. To quote Charlie Chaplin in his film, The Great Dictator, “Do not despair”. Whilst a passive approach will probably not have a positive outcome, there are alternative measures that will facilitate financial growth and employment. For instance, the German government is encouraging higher salaries by introducing the country’s first minimum wage. This new legislation is expected to boost consumption, and will be combined with increased imports from the rest of Europe. Furthermore, investments in sectors like green infrastructure are likely to boost economic growth and employment not only in Germany but also in the rest of the EU. Though national measures are clearly important, there is much more to be accomplished at a European level. The troika4 should support measures that support development, via investing in innovative projects instead of the
maintenance of austerity measures. For instance, the European Investment Bank (EIB) is pioneering development loans, which is a step towards economic expansion. However, up until now this initiative has not been sufficiently used due to the time-consuming bureaucratic process. Access to these loans must be expanded rapidly, especially for small and medium enterprises, which represent a significant source of employment – mainly for the young generation. Europeans must understand that they can only sustain a healthy and diverse society by joining forces and working together. They must collect their resources if they want to exert any kind of influence on the international political agenda. There are clear policies designed to sustain growth in Europe. All we need is for politicians to have the vision, resources and dedication to put them into practice. ◆
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photography by Florian Rogner
2020 Europe 2020 End year of the EU’s ten-year growth strategy in employment, innovation, education, social inclusion and climate/ energy.
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2050 Roadmap 2050 End date of the European Commission plan for cost-efficient ways to make the European economy more climate-friendly and less energy-consuming
WHEN
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EURO Y S P O T
BY KRISTEN
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uddenly, a certain idea crosses your mind, however only for just a few moments. That would be you rejecting the idea, as it seems too unrealistic and absurd. Unfortunately, we underestimate our potential. We like making ourselves believe that the future is fully planned for us, when in fact it is quite unpredictable. First of all, it has become universally known that living in a Western European country provides individuals with better opportunities, compared to the ones Eastern Europe has to offer. Of course, we are taking into consideration both socio-cultural and economic aspects of a society with different ideals ranging from social welfare to the country’s GDP. Take Sweden, for example, which has an especially high standard of living as opposed to Bulgaria. Coming from a West European country I must regretfully admit we tend to patronise our Eastern neighbours because of differences on several topics. To name a few, there is the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, which has taken over the media for the past few months. But then again, there are some other aspects that make us raise our eyebrows when it comes to Eastern Europe, such as Romania with its protests on allocating 6% of the GDP on education and Bosnia’s domestic altercations. The above-mentioned are some of the more pressing matters. However, a less extreme example, but at the same time, one that realistically illustrates the contrast between Eastern and Western cultures, is the outlook on homosexuality and samesex marriage. The level of tolerance on this matter is significantly higher among Western countries. Debates on what is the source of this attitude had been going on for a while now. It seems that this reluctance has its roots in religious beliefs. In contrast to the elder ones, who have had a more conservative upbringing, the younger generations are more open to diversity. In this future scenario that I have previously mentioned, approximately 50 years from now, the current state of Eastern and Western Europe will be reversed. This being said, the West side’s ‘superiority’ will have crumbled into a pile of dust. Moreover, East Europeans will be living ‘the dream’ by then.
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“Don’t judge a man until you’ve walke a Mock
Imagin Eastern Europe surpa
OPE: -TURVY
N ROSARIO
ed a mile in their shoes.�- Atticus, To Kill king Bird
ne this: assing Western Europe.
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here are multiple scenarios that Europe could face, such as Turkey owning the monopoly in several European markets. With its infrastructure, service, industrial, and cultural sectors, as well as high potential for investments, it becomes the head competitor within the market. Going up against a tough rival in the East implies businesses in the West trying to up their game, but possibly ending up straining themselves so much that they would be forced to strike out. Another possible scenario could be mass immigration from West to East. As educational systems improve in Eastern countries, the number of youths entering further studies and the workforce will increase. This can then lead to opportunities for a great amount of the youth population to enter with new businesses and even give existing ones a wider customer base. However, as the education system develops and more people shift towards the East, the West is faced with an issue of a collapsing system. For example, there will be a significant drop in popularity of attending a university in the United Kingdom, but an increase in attending one in Croatia. There will come a time when Germany faces huge amounts of debt and eventually becomes bankrupt, for the third time, and have no choice but to ask Greece for aid. Since, Greece successfully manages to stand on its own feet and deal with the eleven-digit sum. Having mentioned a few examples of what could come for Europe in the next half century, we need to realise that these are instances that should not be ignored, but prepared for. Much like the evolution of technology, events occur at an increased rate. One day it could be you who is part of that protest against the government or struggling to survive. The future of Europe can be much brighter when Eastern Europe rises. The downfall of the West can give way to Eastern countries such as Russia the chance to embrace democracy in all its glory. And who knows, if things turn out fine, Europe may benefit from having Vladimir Putin Jr. as the President of the European Parliament. â—†
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UNITED STATES OF EUROPE Is the European Union heading towards becoming a superstate?
article and photography by Caroline Opperman
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After the Second World War, Europe was aiming for peace. This process resulted not only into a greatly anticipated harmony, but also in global economic and political influence. A common greater goal creates a feeling of unity, which supports the ability to become a major actor on the global stage. However, resentment between Member States is detrimental to the process of becoming a federation. One way hatred appears to be settled is by means of vengeance. Germany as the scapegoat of the EU has had to repay the harm done in World War II. Such retribution must come to an end in order to have a unified acceptant Union. The EU is not a federation, though it contains multiple federal aspects in its organisational structure. With its current supranational institutions, such as the European Commission in which European interest is represented, the next step to become a federation is not that far-fetched. In fact, Robert Schuman, the European Community’s initiator, had already written that a supranational Community was the midway between an association of independent states and a federation, which leads to a fusion of states into a super-state.
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The most important characteristic of supranationalism is that part of a country’s sovereignty is conferred to supranational institutions they have created. The core characteristic is that the EU’s interests as a whole are represented rather than national interest. Institutions such as the European Parliament and the Court of Justice of the EU represent the common European interests. It is the opposite of intergovernmental cooperation which implies a traditional form of international cooperation between states in which participating states do not confer powers upon supranational institutions. In cooperation, the states represent their own interest and thus do not lose sovereignty. Nevertheless, although intergovernamentalism and supranationalism are opposites, that does not mean they cannot exist simultaneously. In fact, the entire EU is a combination of intergovernmental and supranational ruling.
Though the European Union is a midway between federalism and an association of independent states, it does not mean that both systems are separately perceived as successful. The danger of becoming a federation is the trust of the member states. Currently superstition towards the EU by Member States exists already and that is partly due to their lack of sovereignty. In 2012 the UK called on the European Union to renegotiate its competences to regain some of their sovereignty, which shows the doubtful attitude of some states. Creating a strong federation in which conferring decision-making powers to supranational institutions does not have a negative connotation, prevents the doubtful stance of member states towards having to give up their sovereignty. While some of EU’s principles or conceptions might seem to have failed because they did not achieve the interdependence and responsibility towards each other as well as the union as a whole, it is not that straight-forward. This failure was due to the states that brought these principles into being deserted them. One of the most important principles in any form of collaboration is that all parties live up to their expectations. The European Union was unsuccessful and therefore another approach must be taken. Winston Churchill proclaimed in Zurich on the 19th of September 1946: “We must build a kind of United States of Europe”. He was convinced that becoming even more federal would also improve the implementation of the immense body of doctrine and procedure the EU holds.
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be adapted and economic development has to be further encouraged.
Several steps need to be taken before this idealistic idea of the United States of Europe is realistic and obtainable. The economic and legal developments are the most important in developing into a federation. As stated before, the EU already contains some federal aspects, but not enough yet. In today’s global rapid development, the EU has to hold on to the competition in both political and economic fields. It has to become a federation to keep its position and take up the role of a global power next to the United States and China. The EU, as a whole, does have the capacities and resources to do that. Thus, legislation has to
Implementation of international legislation European level is an important point of improvement. Currently a lot of European directives exist, but there are few truly binding laws. Therefore, the EU should aim for a federal constitution applying in all member states overruling national laws. It has to be based on the already existing treaties. Especially the Treaty of Lisbon needs to be revised as it abolished the pillar structure, though the Common Foreign and Security Policy remained mainly intergovernmental. The main decision-making procedure is therefore unanimity by which Member States are able to retain their sovereignty in this field. Furthermore, the constitutional treaty in 2003 has to be strengthened.
Churchill was not the only one with this view, George Washington said: “Someday, following the example of the United States of America, there will be a United States of Europe�.
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Financially, Europe is on the right track to hold global supremacy. The euro has surpassed the once-almighty dollar as it has more daily users than the dollar. This confirms that the EU has made a lot of progress on the global economic market. Moreover, the EU is levelling the competitors in global markets with companies such as Nokia, Vodafone and Red Bull. Nevertheless, economic development is an ever ongoing process. More economic integration within the EU is needed to transcend the limits of the intergovernmental method of running the EU and especially the Eurozone. A one-man idea will not hold; proclaiming a political idea alone rarely succeeds. It is important that an idea is supported to increase its validity and credibility. So, bodies promoting a federal EU exist such
as the Union of European Federalists. It is a non-governmental and supranational organisation which is dedicated to the promotion of a democratic and federal Europe. It aims to bring together citizens who desire to work for the federal unity of Europe, act as a catalyst of democratic forces in Europe, and stimulate public debate on the political content of the ‘European project’. This emphasises the importance of the involvement of the citizens, which is inevitably and evidently also part of the economic and legal development. A federation is built on the strength of its member states’ collaboration and that leads to the mutual acceptance and respect among its citizens.
is in need of a pan-European binding constitution and economic boundaries between member states must be alleviated. Schuman’s initial reference, Churchill’s mission and Washington’s prediction are to become the truth. We are soon to be true European citizens, under common European law, trading without any boundaries – forming a true federation. ◆
All in all, the United States of Europe will be able to be a stronger global leading power than the European Union. The EU
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Europe without a written by photography by
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Florian Rogner
Union Europe in 2100 â–śâ–ś Third World War about to commence, whiles the European Union, as we used to know, will be far away from existence. Economic difficulties have led to society members becoming more and more focused on their own well-being rather than being a part of the European community. As one can assume, this would result in losing our cultural values and eventually dissolving the European Union and everything it stands for. The global financial collapse that started in 2008, along with the Eurozone crisis from 2009, has been the basis for the economic downfall Europe is now experiencing.
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“Preserving a lasting and functioning Union is a very challenging task and requires hard and sustained work.”
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lthough experts predicted the crisis to soon be over, by also stating that the Eurozone was officially out of recession at the end of 2013 , Europe is on a downward spiral. Throwback to 2013: Not only the Eurozone, but also European economy, in general, have been on an upward path. The establishment of a banking union was one notable measure that brought an overall positive attitude on fiscal stability. Especially because of this newly achieved consistency and rising confidence in the EU, Euro-sceptics
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were gradually absorbed by the masses. Anti-Union movements, in any form, have been oppressed from their very beginning, as they were an impediment for progress. However, a broken union, no more unity in diversity and a general sense of panic were to come for Europe. Eastern states, more specifically Russia, took advantage of this struggle and expanded beyond their boundaries, in order to enforce their economic ideology all over Europe. Due to the strong focus on economy and politics, culture has only played an underling role for Europe and, as a result, the focus had been shifted away from it. A slow but steady
process of inducing nationalism was the end of common cultural values. As now, most of EU’s main strengths and benefits have been lost along the way, and it initiated a process of self-dissolving. More and more Member States are abandoning the Union, starting with Germany and France, leaving it into the hands of fiscal destiny. When playing the blame game, former financially stable nations argue that Europe’s struggling economies have been the source of the downfall, whilst others blame Germany and France, as their austerity measures could be the main cause.
Nowadays, money seems to be influencing more than trade market. It can buy power, status and shift entire ideologies. This is a process of individuality and perfectly mirrors what went wrong with our society. The rational following step would be the recreation of a union, meant to tackle some specific issues. The problem is that, as expected, these problems could relapse at any point. Economists call this process a business cycle. This is expected for Europe under a different name: the union cycle. When trying to join over 20 countries from all over the continent, while also maintaining their cultural values intact, misunderstanding and disagreement will be on the daily agenda – and this is a problem that cannot be fully grasped. When the EU was initially created, people converged their ideas, discussed them and realised there was an urge for cooperation and it is their responsibility, as politicians, to act in their country’s interest. Within a union, this responsibility is transferred directly to politicians. With great power comes great responsibility. Governing individuals need to realise this change and work in accordance with their responsibility in this matter.
Looking forward, the ultimate goal will be having a Europe where both mobility and transactions are fully facilitated. Therefore, there is this necessity of establishing a universal fiscal policy among all Member States, supported by a framework for common taxes. After five to ten years of not fulfilling these goals, the upcoming generations will start questioning the idea of a union once more – and the process, as we have experienced it, will occur repeatedly.
made its mark numerous times before. The same can, and hopefully will, happen to the union cycle, which could be the base for a long-term working union, built upon solid and also flexible grounds. Preserving a lasting and functioning Union is a very challenging task and it mostly requires hard and sustained work. However, the right approach will turn out to be beneficial, as significant improvement shall be noticed shortly. ◆
Having experienced the union cycles already in the past, prevalent measures need to be taken in order to ensure a common basis within the European Union, responsible for keeping economy stable. A firm Union needs to be able to stand firm in times of crisis and weakness, in order to ensure that upcoming generations are protected and familiar with the concept of union cycles, which have become as natural as business cycles. Economists from all over the world have accepted the business cycle to be a real phenomenon, as it had
“The same will happen for Europe under a different name: the Union cycle.” 35
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