Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
he primary concern of the Eu when it first formed was to ensure that war could never again take over Europe as it had done before. This objective has been achieved so the EU looked for more ways in which to improve daily life.
Environment
EU member states have taken action to protect the environment. Then is it not surprising that Europe?s rivers and beaches are cleaner, vehicles pollute less and there are strict rules for waste disposal, for example dangerous waste from Europe can no longer be dumped in poor countries as was previously the case. The EU wants good industry, transport, energy and tourism but it will not sacrifice the environment for this, so, it will not destroy natural resources but wants it done with sustainable development so it will allow are economies to grow well into the future.
The Euro
The Euro is the EUs biggest achievement. It is a single currency that is shared among all EU countries. So if you go abroad on holiday you don?t have to change your money. Each note or coin has the same design but on one side you have the national emblem on the other side. Find it impressive that when you?re paying for your milk in your local shop you could get change in a Spanish Euro coin, and somewhere in Spain a person has got an Irish coin back. This gives a sense of closeness among neighbouring EU countries.
Young People
As much as 2million young people have already taken advantage of EU to pursuer studies and travel in other European countries As a result EU makes sure it schemes for educational exchange and helps young people to experience other countries and cultures. Young people of Europe have the chance to broaden their horizons by working and living in new countries and getting to grips with different languages.
More opportunities
Being a EU citizen you can travel across Europe without a passport and without being stopped at borders. Travel for shopping, leisure or business from one country to another will be cheap because there is no money exchange and no commission paid. So basically any EU citizen can live ,work and retire in any EU member state if they wish so.
Equal opportunities
The EU bans discrimination. The EU believes our society is fairer and more efficient when we do not discriminate over race, religion, nationality, gender or any other factors. The first EU treaty contained a clear view that men and women have equal pay and equal work.
Freedom, security and justice for all
EU countries are working together to tackle international crime such as terrorism. And prevent the cross border trafficking of drugs and even people. Being in the EU, you are protected by EU laws.
Exporting peace and atability
The main reason the EU is together is because of peace (after WW2 the EU was formed so that another war would never ravage through Europe again). So the EU came up with the idea of using practical achievements and to create a sense of common progress between member states.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
Constitution?
A constitution is a text which contains the fundamental rules of the group of states.
In actual fact, the European Constitution replaces the main treaties with a single text.
But why?
It is designed to meet the challenges of an enlarged Europe, 25 member states and around 450,000,000 inhabitants.
It must be a democratic, transparent, efficient Europe working to serve all Europeans.
But my country already has a constitution?
The European constitution does not replace the national constitutions of the countries of Europe. It will co-exist with these constitutions and will have its own justification and its own autonomy. The European Constitution defines the contexts within which the European Union is able to act.
What is in the constitution
The European Constitution is divided into four parts:
Part 1; Defines values, objectives, powers, decision making procedures and institutions of the European Parliament.
Part 2; Contains of the charter of the fundamental rights.
Part 3; Describes the policies, internal and external action and functioning of the European Union.
Part 4; includes the procedures for adopting and revising the constitution.
What can the consitution do for me?
The guarantee of respect for a certain common values and a European model of society.
Respect for human dignity, liberty, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights.
Equal rights for man and woman.
Free movement of persons, goods, services and capital, freedom of establishment, no discrimination for nationality.
Every national member of state shall be a citizen of the union.
If a member state is a victim of a natural and manmade disaster, the EU and member states shall act jointly to assist that state.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
the above i pulled of the internet,as there is a lot of scare mongerring from eurosceptics i copyed and pasted it to prove my point.
please read and discuss.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
i must admit it opend my eyes wide when i read it.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
Now where did you cut and paste that EU propaganda from Brian?
Not worth challenging point by point but the disasterous Euro (a disaster for the Greeks, Spanish, Irish, Portugese, Italians among others that is...) to be described as its greatest achievement has to be a joke. Mind you the EU, incompetent, controlling, interfering and institutionally corrupt as it is, is a sick joke anyway.
Had to laugh as well at the 'peace' claim - ignoring to key role of NATO in preserving peace in Europe. The EU having to claim a success on the backs of the achiement of another organisation says it all.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
so you say barry,but there are quite a few points worth talking about.
its counter proaganda what you euroscertics are spouting.
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Brian, I'll have to read through your posts properly tonight. I'll try to understand in the meantime how the EU can be a guarantee for peace between European member states. I thought the Church was meant to be a guarantee for peace between nations.
Now I will never change my Religion on this aspect, and I do dispute the use of 12 stars as the EU emblem. They are a biblical emblem, and do not belong on a super-political institution.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
brian the common market was formed back in the sixties for the security aspect.
the e.u. came along decades later.
the inconvenience of changing money is far outweighed by the dangers caused by being on different economic cycles than other member states, eurozone members realise this now.
i am surprised that trade did not get a mention in that article, i would have loved to have shot that one down.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
Howard yes you are right,at first it was all put in place for trade only ,and if that was the case today it would be great, but as we all know that is not the case,infact trade now is low on the list.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
howard,i just cheaked my sause and it states that the eu started in the years 1940 - 1950s.
i will rost it for you in a bit.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
"To learn about the future you must study the past"
The start of the EU - 1940-1950s
WWII much of Europe was destroyed and bitter. The disastrous effects of the war made Europeans look towards cooperating with each other. Reconciliation between France and Germany was the key stage to a new and improved Europe.
Steel industry needed to be rebuilt, so Robert Schuman first proposed the idea of a United Europe by achieving in stages practical goals.
Robert Schuman
On may the 9th 1950 Frances foreign minister Schumann suggested practical cooperation within the coal and oil industry so they could rebuild Europe. The Schuman declaration was drafted by Jean Monnet, one of the EU founders. As Schuman said: "Europe will not be built in a day now as part of some overall design, it will be built through practical achievement that at first will create a sense of purpose."
This is a great debate you got going guys keep it up great reading hope to learn a lot thank you All. some of the most Intelligent posting I've seen for a long time .
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
Present - Working for the World
Working for the World
The EU has population of 450million, more than the United States and Russia combined. It is the world?s biggest trader and would generate one quarter of the worlds wealth. It gives more aid than any other aid donor. Its currency, the euro, comes to the US dollar in international markets. The EU did not and does not set out to be a world power: its main concern was to bring the nations and the peoples of Europe peace. The Euro has expanded, so now it has to define it?s relationships within the world.
Humanitarian aid
Almost every day we here about and see several natural and man made disasters causing hunger, poverty and human suffering. The EU is currently working in the centre of a programmer whose aim is to eliminate suffering caused by this disaster. Its goal is to aid its victims as soon as possible no matter what religion, sex etc. The EU is working right now in areas like Africa, Asia, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other places. They are also working right now in countries with high risks, the EU endeavours to prepare them for any disaster that could occur. The EU humanitarian aid dept (echo) since it was set up in 1992 has helped over 100 countries in crisis. The Eu budget tries to put over 500 million euro a year towards getting essential emergency supplies, funding medical teams and mine clearances. Access to water and fair share of water are major issues concerning the EU. The EU?s "water for life" programme was launched in 2002. It seeks to bring safe water and sanitation to the worlds poor countries, particularly Africa but also central asia, the Mediterranean and Latin America .The EU has made 1billion available to finance this initiative. The EU is involved in anti-mine action topromote global peace and lessen humansuffering in mine affected areas. It is toppriorty and contributes 40billion to this project in the years 2000-02.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
brian
today we hear of a major german bank facing collapse and that spanish unemployment has rose to a record 4.3 million, 20% of the workforce.
we also know that portugal is in denial of a need for a bail out.
this will put a lot of pressure on the euro zone members, doesn't seem to be mentioned in your article.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
This is not a debate. Most of the above posts are mind-numbing pro-EU propaganda articles cut and pasted from partisan sources.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
Brian, as to some points you made:
Not all EU states use the euro. Poland has the zlotti, Lituania the Lit, to name two.
Young people travelling through Europe is an EU achievement: not so! My Dad was in the Army and managed to travel to Bulgaria on the other side of the Iron Curtain; and two times he took us, the whole family, from Kent to Belgium, on into Germany and to Austria, and further into Yugoslavia, and back. That was before Britain joined the common market.
As for myself, I can't afford to even go to Oostende in Belgium and back to see how fat it is, now that the EU is about.
As for receiving equal pay, may-be you should study the average wage of Eastern EU countries: it is about a third or a quarter of Britain and Western Europe.
Prices are also a lot lower there. But the difference in average wage in one free trading zone as is the EU is an economic catastrophe for us in the West.
No fair trade and commerce can be based on such a system, and add to that the fact that £5.93 an hour in Britain is the equivalent to a doctor's wage in the East of Europe!
It would be as if in Sussex the minimum wage ware £20.00 an hour: many people from Kent would go to Sussex to work, and many more would arrive there from Hamphire and Wiltshire.
It couldn't function for long!
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Obviously Alexander you have put away the cider and made a post many of us can agree with.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 696- Registered: 31 Mar 2010
- Posts: 8,115
I spill a can every evening, it's part of my evening's delight.
When Britain leaves the EU, we'll see British Independence!