EU POLITICS, EUROPEAN POLITICS

OUTLINE – PROBLEMS IN EUROPE

Democracy deficit European identity EU’s future? Economic development Education Social situation

DEMOCRACY DEFICIT

Institutional Only European Parliament elected directly by

citizens Commission, Council, Court of Justice not, but

they make important decisions People don’t know how they work (transparency)

Identity Many Europeans feel that EU is not useful, not

important or even harmful They think their country lost its independence

and got nothing in return They identify more or only with their country

EUROPEAN IDENTITY – WHAT?

European Union Common set of values Sense of belonging to the EU in addition to national identities Indirectly (unity in diversity)

Citizenship European public sphere

CONSTITUTIONAL TOOLS FOR FOSTERING EUROPEAN IDENTITY – democratic participation

Symbols of the European Union European Parliament elections Referendums European Citizens’ Initiative

SYMBOLS

Anthem•Beethoven set to music the "Ode to Joy" written in 1785 by Friedrich von Schiller•human race becoming brothers

9th of May Europe Day

“United in diversity” is the motto of the European Union

.eu TLD €

Joy, beautiful divine spark,Daughter of Elysium,We enter, drunk with fire,O heavenly one, your holy shrine.Your magic once again bonds togetherWhat custom strictly divided,All Mankind become brothersWhere your gentle wings hold sway.

EP ELECTIONS

REFERENDUMS

1992 Denmark: no, France: yes, but small margin

2001 Ireland: no Constitutional Treaty

2005: France, Netherlands vote no Reform (Lisbon) Treaty

2008: Ireland votes no

EUROPEAN CITIZENS’ INITIATIVE

Constitutional tool used in several countries In the Constitutional Treaty (I-47) In Lisbon – TEU Provisions on democratic

principles (Art. 11)

ENLARGEMENT - TURKEY AND THE EU

1987 application for membership

2005 recognised as a candidate country

Conditions for joining:Democratic systemFunctioning market

economyAdopting the acquis

communautaire

ISSUES OF JOINING

“too big, too poor, and too Muslim” Referendums

Positive example for European Christian and Moslim cooperation

Common Foreign and Security Policy

OTHER CANDIDATES

Croatia Iceland The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Montenegro

Albania Serbia Kosovo

REFORM OF THE EU

6 members to 27 Supranationality Amending treaties, case-law

Constitutional Treaty 2005: France, Netherlands vote no

Reform (Lisbon) Treaty 2008: Ireland votes no

Now adopted – needs to be applied

Where is the end of EU integration?

FORM TEAMS

Write your names and the selected countries’ names on the paper

Draw the pictures you looked up

Explain about them to your group