3. European peace – after the historical Pax
Romana), is the period of relative peace
experienced by Europe in the period
following World War II—often associated above
all with the creation of the European Union (EU)
and its predecessors. After the Cold War this
peace was even more evident because of the fall
in political tensions, with the major exception of
the Yugoslav Wars and various tensions with and
within Russia. In 2012, the EU institutions were
awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
5. Transatlantic cooperation and European integration was designed to maintain
the fragile peace that was created in Europe. With the continent consistently
falling into war over the past centuries the creation of the European
Communities in the 1950s set to integrate its members to such an extent that
war between them would be impossible. These Communities, and other
organizations including NATO expanded to cover most of Western
Europe, Northern Europe and Southern Europe. Although Central and Eastern
Europe remained under Soviet influence, they too experienced little conflict,
with the major exception of internal repression, until the 1990s when a series
of wars in Yugoslavia broke out as the country disintegrated. The EU
structures were criticised for its inability to prevent the conflict, though the
zone is now within its sphere of enlargement.
7. EU AND PEACE
The EU now comprises 28 countries with
majority of European non-member states
seeking membership (twelve countries
joined the EU in 2000s). In addition to that,
most countries which remain outside are
tied to the EU by economic agreements and
treaties such as the European Economic
Area. Within the zone of integration, there
has been no conflict since 1945, making it
the longest period of peace on the western
European mainland since Pax Romana.
9. EU and Nobel Peace Prize
European Union was awarded the 2012 Nobel
Peace Prize in recognition of its efforts to maintain
and actively foster peace within its borders as well
as internationally through diplomatic means.
Even though a number of armed conflicts occurred
on the European peninsula after World War II, none
of them have been between members of the
European Union. Most of these conflicts have taken
place in the former Yugoslavia and Soviet Union.
