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The EU and Globalization : Strengths, tensions, and challenges of the EU

Table of content

• The EU and Globalization : Strengths, tensions, and challenges of the EU
  • Key facts
    • The 4 flows
    • Key dates
    • Policies and groups : Before Brexit
  • Recent challenges
    • 4 Challenges
    • EU and NATO boundaries
  • EU policies
    • How does the EU assert its power on the world stage ?
  • Strengths, tensions, and challenges
    • Energy
    • Tensions over funding and weapons
  • Effectiveness of policies
    • Tackling the energy crisis
    • EU and NATO boundaries
  • EU policies
  • Strengths, tensions, and challenges
    • Energy
    • Tensions over funding and weapons
  • Key facts
    • The 4 flows
    • Key dates
    • Policies and groups: Before Brexit
    • Recent challenges
    • Effectiveness of policies
    • Climate change - The EU’s ambitious targets
    • The EU as a global economic power ?
    • Territorial integration : Regions
  • Strenghts, Tensions, and Challenges
    • Syllabus words
    • Challenges of the EU

Key facts

The 4 flows

Four freedoms of movement

• Goods
• Services
• People
• Capital

Key dates

1993

• Launch of the single market

1995

• Schengen Agreement

2002

• Euro

2012

• Citizen initiative

2015

• Paris agreement

Policies and groups : Before Brexit

Different levels of integration

• EU member states
• Euro states
• NATO
• Schengen
• EEA
• Custom unions

Populations

• EU : 446 million in total

EU countries with largest population

• Germany
• France
• Italy

Recent challenges

4 Challenges

Financial process

• European bank

EU and NATO boundaries

• NATO has extended

EU policies

How does the EU assert its power on the world stage ?

Soft power

• Political Globalization
• Economic Globalization
  • Stability of supply and price
  • Food and energy standards and security
  • Regional investment
  • The EU has a lot of influence as of its large market
• Social

Hard Power

• Sanctions
• Regulations and Standards
  • Eg : Food, no GMOs
• Military/European army

Strengths, tensions, and challenges

Energy

People should have access to energy at an affordable price

Tensions over funding and weapons

One of the tensions within the EU is related to funding and weapons. Member states have different priorities and interests when it comes to allocating funds for various EU initiatives and programs. This can lead to disagreements and conflicts, as some countries may feel that their contributions are not being fairly distributed or that their interests are not adequately represented. Additionally, tensions can arise regarding the development and use of weapons within the EU. Different member states may have varying perspectives on defense strategies and military capabilities, which can create challenges in coordinating and aligning their efforts.

Effectiveness of policies

Assessing the effectiveness of EU policies is an ongoing challenge. The EU implements a wide range of policies across various areas, such as trade, environment, and social issues. Evaluating the impact and outcomes of these policies requires careful analysis and monitoring. Factors such as implementation, enforcement, and adaptability to changing circumstances can influence the effectiveness of EU policies. Additionally, the diverse interests and priorities of member states can affect the implementation and success of EU policies, making it important to continuously evaluate and adjust them as needed.

Tackling the energy crisis

The energy crisis is a significant challenge that the EU faces. It is crucial to address this issue to ensure that people have access to energy at an affordable price. The EU has been implementing various measures to tackle the energy crisis, including promoting renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, and diversifying energy supply. However, the effectiveness of these measures needs to be continuously assessed and adjusted to meet the evolving energy needs and challenges.

EU and NATO boundaries

The boundaries between the EU and NATO have been a topic of discussion and coordination. NATO has extended its reach, and this has implications for the EU’s security and defense policies. Close cooperation and coordination between the EU and NATO are essential to address common security challenges and ensure the stability and security of the region.

EU policies

The EU asserts its power on the world stage through a combination of soft power and hard power. Soft power includes political and economic globalization, where the EU influences global politics and economics through its large market, stability of supply and price, food and energy standards and security, and regional investment. Hard power is exerted through sanctions, regulations and standards (e.g., food regulations), and the potential for a European army.

Strengths, tensions, and challenges

Energy

Ensuring access to affordable energy is a key strength and priority for the EU. The EU aims to provide its citizens with reliable and affordable energy sources while promoting sustainability and reducing environmental impact.

Tensions over funding and weapons

One of the tensions within the EU is related to funding and weapons. Member states have different priorities and interests when it comes to allocating funds for various EU initiatives and programs. This can lead to disagreements and conflicts, as some countries may feel that their contributions are not being fairly distributed or that their interests are not adequately represented. Additionally, tensions can arise regarding the development and use of weapons within the EU. Different member states may have varying perspectives on defense strategies and military capabilities, which can create challenges in coordinating and aligning their efforts.

Key facts

The 4 flows

The EU emphasizes the four freedoms of movement: goods, services, people, and capital. These freedoms facilitate trade, economic growth, and integration within the EU.

Key dates

• 1993: Launch of the single market
• 1995: Schengen Agreement
• 2002: Euro
• 2012: Citizen initiative
• 2015: Paris agreement

Policies and groups: Before Brexit

• The EU operates at different levels of integration, including EU member states, Euro states, NATO, Schengen, EEA, and custom unions.
• These different groups and policies shape the relationships and interactions within the EU.

Recent challenges

• Financial processes
  • The EU faces challenges related to financial processes, which require continuous adaptation and coordination to ensure stability and effectiveness.
• Extension of NATO boundaries
  • The extension of NATO boundaries poses a challenge for the EU’s security and defense policies. Close cooperation and coordination between the EU and NATO are essential to address common security challenges and ensure regional stability.

Effectiveness of policies

• Assessing the effectiveness of EU policies is an ongoing challenge.
• The EU implements a wide range of policies across various areas, such as trade, environment, and social issues.
• Evaluating the impact and outcomes of these policies requires careful analysis and monitoring.
• Factors such as implementation, enforcement, and adaptability to changing circumstances can influence the effectiveness of EU policies.
• The diverse interests and priorities of member states can affect the implementation and success of EU policies, making continuous evaluation and adjustment necessary.

Climate change - The EU’s ambitious targets

• Between 1990 and 2018, it reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 23%, while the economy grew by 61%
• EU’s greenhouse gas emission reductions target for 2030 to at least 50% and towards 55% compared with 1990 levels

The EU as a global economic power ?

• The EU is the world’s largest trading bloc, with a GDP of over $15 trillion
• As other countries develop, the EU is losing some percentage of the world’s total GDP, as EU continues to grow

Territorial integration : Regions

• Between 2021 and 2027, the EU plans to invest 378 billion in its regions
• With investment from the members

Strenghts, Tensions, and Challenges

Political

• Group negotiation on global issues such as climate change, security, development aid
• Loss of sovereignty on 4 flows across borders
  • Eg : Migration

Social

• Common work
• Social equality
• Policies
  • Eg : Youth Guarantee is a commitment by all Member States to ensure
• Environmental standards
• cooperation on defence, security, extradition
• Educational cooperation
  • Eg : Erasmus
• Less flexibility, European Court of Human rights can override National decisions

Economic

• Free movement of goods, services, capital, and people
• No tariffs or quotas
• Euro reduces costs and friction of trade
• Loss of sovereignty over economic management such as interest rates, fiscal policy, debt

Syllabus words

Cohesion

• Economic
  • Euro
• Territorial
  • Schengen

Territorial inequalities

• Economic
  • Manufacturing decline, infrastructure
• Political
  • Migration
  • Regional devolution issues
  • Scotland, Calalonia

Policies towards integration

• Economic
  • Development aid
  • Subsidies
  • Common workers rights
• Political
  • Regional involvment in decision making

Challenges of the EU

• Demographic
  • Ageing population
• Economic
  • Loss of competitiveness
• Environmental
  • Pollution
  • Climate change
  • Biodiversity loss
• Environmental/economic
  • Changing to the green economuc
  • Energy security
• Political
  • Nuclear weapons
  • War
  • Migration
• Technological
  • Hacking
  • Fraud
  • Counterfeit goods
  • Political interference
• Food security
  • Competition for food
  • Relative poverty
• Loss of cohesion leading to loss of global power