European Integration: Views from Abroad

[Kalimaa23]

Greetings,

Seeing as how most thread here are US centered, I thought I might initiate a discussion about the other side of the pond.

How does the world feel about European integration? The last few decades have changed Europe in a lot of ways, many of which the older people most of whom experienced WWII) here could not have thought possible. I'm talking about abolishing border controls (Shengen agreement), the single currency the Euro and the fact that member nations do not hold that much power over their internal policies compared to the European institutions.

I for one think that European political integration will be nescessary in the coming decades. We have wide-spread economic integration now, but I do not think we should stop there. Several of the things that I think should be realized in the coming years are :

- Ratify the European constitution
- Get rid of the member state veto in the European council, and go over to a majority vote
- Go towards an integrated European army
- Increase the power of the European parliament
- More fiscal integration
- A unified foreign policy

I'm interested to know to what extent the people abroad are aware of what has been happening on the old continent the last few years, and how they feel about a more unified Europe.

 

[Anttech]

I for one think that European political integration will be necessary in the coming decades. We have wide-spread economic integration now, but I do not think we should stop there. Several of the things that I think should be realized in the coming years are :

- Ratify the European constitution
- Get rid of the member state veto in the European council, and go over to a majority vote
- Go towards an integrated European army
- Increase the power of the European parliament
- More fiscal integration
- A unified foreign policy

Personally I agree with some of your points, and not others. Economically speaking, I agree we need more integration, especially with the VAT rules (carasel fraud is still rife) VAT needs to be synchronised throughout the EU free trade zone, I am not sold on Income and corporate tax synchronisation however, yet our countries are still very different with regards to this.

I disagree that the veto needs to be removed, as we need some sort of political pressure release valve to allow member states to opt out of anything that maybe locally damaging, and thus damaging to the EU in its whole, we are as good as the parts that make us up.

I also disagree with (right now) with increasing the EU parliaments political power until our economies are more in-line with one another, and our countries are more at ease with the perception of giving up power to Brussels. Also we need to decide on Strasbourg or Brussels (I personally think Brussels as this is where the commission is) as this is so costly and stupid. The MEP's that are in Brussels typically are nobodies at home, therefore we need to start sending our countries better politions.

I agree with a more integrated EU army, however we will need to have a more united foreign policy to back this up with. Which I also agree needs to happen.

The EU should not turn into some sort of megastate, it should stay as a treaty of nations, economically and socially, where we all have our own identity within. I believe that the Free trade zone, and the free migration zone to be a great thing, but I don't want the EU to become a massive political beast.

 

[Kalimaa23]

Right! I forgot about the whole ridiculous Straatsburg parliament. There is an online petition going on to abolish it

http://www.oneseat.eu/

 

[mathwonk]

oops, i thought this was an alternative to lebesgue or riemann integration.

darn, wrong forum.

 

[Kalimaa23]

Not a very hot topic apparently...