European Unity – in the final decade of the 20th century (the 1990s), Europe was united by the European Union in 1993 which had important social, economic, and political implications. The standards for being in the EU were outlined in a 97,000 page document called that acquis communitaire. These are highlighted in the chart below. Overall, the EU has been a great success. SOCIAL *** · The EU resulted in a fear of an influx of immigrants · Quotas placed on immigration · EU brought human rights standards · Turkey brought discussions of what it meant to be “European” and religion · End of border controls · Maastricht Treaty brought standards for worker health and safety, crime prevention, immigration, and asylum · Some countries opt out of aspects of Maastricht because they think it infringes on their culture (ex. Britain and the Euro) · Movement of goods impacted (people and culture) · Initial public rejection of constitution due to lack of involvement in process · Feeling among member populations that they should be involved in process of governing the EU · EU has most comprehensive and generous social welfare system · Stable peace enjoyed; armed conflict unlikely ECONOMIC *** · Commitment to market economy · Incentives for reform for former communist states · “structural adjustment” meant funds transfer from wealthy nations to weaker nations · Made EU the world’s largest trading bloc · EU richest consumer market · Trade supported by lifted barriers and border obstacles · Maastricht introduced common monetary currency – EURO · A Central bank · Britain and Denmark opt out of EURO because they see it as imposing on their important cultural symbols for money · Movement of goods impacted – like people, fish, and culture · Common guidelines for budget deficits, debt, and inflation · Central European Bank (98) prevent governments in trouble from manipulating their own interest rates or currency value · World’s highest per capita income · GDP is 5% higher than it would be otherwise (w/o unity) · Debt crisis in Ireland, Greece, and Portugal in 010 and 011 called EU economics into question; they each required loans to prevent bankruptcy – threatened stability of the currency EURO · Supported globalization and much foreign investment POLITICAL *** · Required commitment to political democracy · Joining would legitimize a regime · Sovereignty remained intact, especially for law enforcement, foreign policy, and defense · 97,000 page acquis communitaire had to be adopted · Movement of goods impacted · EU constitution which sees a EU foreign policy chief elected and an EU president · Complex EU bureaucracy · Lots of debate about how much of Europe’s success is because of unification · Armed conflict between them is virtually inconceivable · Enjoyed a stable peace · EU people sometimes feel alienated from “Eruocrats” … Eurocrats will respond to the people for policy making .

1. European Unity – in the final decade of the 20th century (the
1990s), Europe was united by the European Union in 1993
which had important social, economic, and political
implications. The standards for being in the EU were outlined in
a 97,000 page document called that acquis communitaire. These
are highlighted in the chart below. Overall, the EU has been a
great success.
SOCIAL
***
· The EU resulted in a fear of an influx of immigrants
· Quotas placed on immigration
· EU brought human rights standards
· Turkey brought discussions of what it meant to be “European”
and religion
· End of border controls
· Maastricht Treaty brought standards for worker health and
safety, crime prevention, immigration, and asylum
· Some countries opt out of aspects of Maastricht because they
think it infringes on their culture (ex. Britain and the Euro)
· Movement of goods impacted (people and culture)
· Initial public rejection of constitution due to lack of
involvement in process
· Feeling among member populations that they should be
involved in process of governing the EU
· EU has most comprehensive and generous social welfare
system
· Stable peace enjoyed; armed conflict unlikely
ECONOMIC
***
· Commitment to market economy
· Incentives for reform for former communist states

2. · “structural adjustment” meant funds transfer from wealthy
nations to weaker nations
· Made EU the world’s largest trading bloc
· EU richest consumer market
· Trade supported by lifted barriers and border obstacles
· Maastricht introduced common monetary currency – EURO
· A Central bank
· Britain and Denmark opt out of EURO because they see it as
imposing on their important cultural symbols for money
· Movement of goods impacted – like people, fish, and culture
· Common guidelines for budget deficits, debt, and inflation
· Central European Bank (98) prevent governments in trouble
from manipulating their own interest rates or currency value
· World’s highest per capita income
· GDP is 5% higher than it would be otherwise (w/o unity)
· Debt crisis in Ireland, Greece, and Portugal in 010 and 011
called EU economics into question; they each required loans to
prevent bankruptcy – threatened stability of the currency EURO
· Supported globalization and much foreign investment
POLITICAL
***
· Required commitment to political democracy
· Joining would legitimize a regime
· Sovereignty remained intact, especially for law enforcement,
foreign policy, and defense
· 97,000 page acquis communitaire had to be adopted
· Movement of goods impacted
· EU constitution which sees a EU foreign policy chief elected
and an EU president
· Complex EU bureaucracy
· Lots of debate about how much of Europe’s success is because
of unification
· Armed conflict between them is virtually inconceivable
· Enjoyed a stable peace
· EU people sometimes feel alienated from “Eruocrats” …
Eurocrats will respond to the people for policy making