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Cini: European Union Politics 2e

Chapter 03

'United for Europe'

'United for Europe' common article (July 2005) by the presidents of Austria, Finland, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Poland and Portugal (A full article is available at www.presidentti.fi/english/)

The outcome of the referenda in France and the Netherlands showed that many citizens feel European policy falls short of their expectations. While most do support the European project, they are uneasy about how it is carried out. … [We] must not squander what we have built up; rather have to keep a firm hold on our future opportunities. But to do this, we have to know what we want. [(1) We] need a more democratic, more transparent and more efficient EU, both in our own interest and to hold our own in globalisation; (2) We need procedures to involve the citizens more in the European project and make them part of its implementation and further development. Thus we should think about ways in which people in the EU can as far as possible jointly express their opinion on European matters; (3) We have to cooperate more closely on questions of security and fighting terrorism as the recent terrorist attacks have demonstrated once more; (4) We need greater readiness to compromise and more solidarity. This is a cornerstone of the European project and is in the interest of all member states; (5) Europe has to get ready for the future. We have to invest in Europe's strengths: in innovation, communication, education and research. We need to examine what we are paying to Brussels - and how it is spent. There has to be and therefore will be timely agreement on this. … [In] many countries, the summer holidays have just begun. Many of us will enjoy the beauties of Europe without border controls and in many cases won't even have to change money. Perhaps this provides a practical way of seeing how everyone can benefit from Europe. This is something we do not want to forego. We have to seize the opportunity for a common and united Europe, thus living up to our responsibility for coming generations.

Web Links

European Union Policy Issues
www.policylibrary.com/eu/

UK Presidency of the European Union 2005
www.eu2005.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1079980257734

Nice Treaty site
europa.eu.int/comm/nice_treaty/index_en.htm

The Future of the European Union – Debate
europa.eu.int/constitution/futurum/index_en.htm

Further Learning Resources

Nurgent, Neil (2003), The Government and Politics of the European Union, Durham, Duke University Press

Moravcsik, Andrew and Nicolaïdis, Kalypso (1999), 'Explaining the Treaty of Amsterdam: Interests, Influences, Institutions', Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol.37, No.1, pp.59-85.

Nentwich, Michael and Falkner, Gerda (1997), 'The Treaty of Amsterdam: Towards a New Institutional Balance', European Integration online Papers (EIoP) Vol.1, No.15,
eiop.or.at/eiop/texte/1997-015a.htm.

Gary, Mark and Stubb, Alexander (2001), 'Keynote Article: The Treaty of Nice – Negotiating a Poisoned Chalice?', Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol.39, Annual Review, pp.5-23.