The European Union has produced many good results. The six founding country’s are Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The first steps towards European integration began when these countries pooled their coal and steel communities together and signed treaties created the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). This pooling of their coal and steel resources in a common market allowed them to be controlled by an independent supranational authority. But Jean Monnet, one of the founding thinkers of the Europe Union, had a greater picture in mind with the start of the ECSC. His vision and hopes were for a

Another example is balance, in the sovereignty struggle that has occurred in the smaller and poorer states of the southern areas of the European Union. Spain, Portugal, and Greece were all dictatorships with struggling economies before their membership in the European Union. Certainly, the leaders of the dictatorial regimes had no reason to seek out membership, but their heirs did. In order to achieve a successful economic and political balance in their respective states, each government sought out membership in a solid, democratic, and free market organization. Rather than giving up valuable sovereignty in order to reap economic benefits, these nations ceded unstable power in order to reap economic benefits and to stabilize their political situations.

I believe the European Union should continue to grow economically, but the European Union should draw the line there. Trying to create a common foreign and security policy between so many countries that are so complex would be very difficult if not impossible. The only way they could ever achieve this would be if the countries were to follow Germany’s plan and since Germany has the highest population and therefore greatest voting power they would probably win. As I have stated earlier the United Kingdom and France would never agree to this.

The United Kingdom has, of course evolved along with the European Union. Yet, like Denmark it has chosen to retain the option of sovereignty in some areas where other European Union members have fully integrated. One example of this “opting out” by Britain is its decision to remain outside of the European Central Bank and to retain its own economic policies. Whereas, most of the qualifying members of the EU have converted their national currencies to the euro, Britain is retaining the pound and taking a “wait-and-see” approach to economic integration.

Much like the system of the United States of America, this system would create a clearer divided between the European (and federal) powers and the powers of the individual member states. In an almost ironic twist, Germany, the state that theoretically was to be confined and controlled by the European Coal and Steel Community has taken a leading and powerful role in the evolutionary process. This seems to me more like a United States of Germany not a United States of Europe. I know that the United Kingdom and France would drop out of the European Union before they would allow for Germany to run their political, social, and economical lives.

By other countries recognizing the European Union and giving it validity, they are giving the European Union legitimacy. But I believe that the main form of legitimacy needed is from the 370 million people that live within the states of the European Union. I have doubts that this will ever be achieved.

United States of Europe where goods and services would move freely among the members similar to what was occurring among the fifty states of the United States of America.

On a world level, the EU is one of the World’s largest trading powers, and is a leading economic partner for most countries. The EU is a major player on the world scene. More than one hundred thirty countries maintain diplomatic relations with the EU, and the EU has over one hundred delegations around the world. The EU is also the largest donor of the humanitarian aid to the victims of the conflict in former Yugoslavia and has played an active role in the mediation effort.

Some topics in this essay:
European Union, european union, Maastricht Treaty, United Kingdom, German Republic, War II, United Europe, Central Bank, Treaty Amsterdam, European Courts, United America, united kingdom, united europe, coal steel, believe european, believe european union, european community, treaty european union, treaty european, countries european, union european, steel community, countries european union, european union european, union european union,