Cohesion in the European Union

later12

It has been widely reported that economic and monetary tensions within the Euro Area and the European Union are leading to wavering attitudes to EMU and other aspects of European unity. Eurobarometer surveys suggest the people of Europe are gradually looking toward individual Government leadership instead of co-ordinated leadership to get them out of their crises. Elections in France and the Netherlands have shown worrying Eurosceptic trends in support of this.

My question is how European and domestic leaders might best improve a sense of badly needed European cohesion?

Might the answer be found in the way that post Socialist republics were socially and economically coaxed into the European Union with a mixture of fiscal and political obligations combined with the promise of economic prosperity? If so, could the upcoming Treaty actually have a role to play in a more cohesive Europe?

Or, is the answer to be found in Eurobonds and a federal Europe with greater democratic accountability across the region?

Other solutions might be found in encouraging labour market participation across Europe's regions, and placing greater emphasis on European languages, which is a major stumbling block. Can a region with 23 official languages (and all of the cultural barriers that implies) ever be truly cohesive?

I would be interested to hear of any specific ideas on improving cohesion and a sense of European unity

Wibbs

later12 wrote: »

Other solutions might be found in encouraging labour market participation across Europe's regions, and placing greater emphasis on European languages, which is a major stumbling block. Can a region with 23 official languages (and all of the cultural barriers that implies) ever be truly cohesive?

That's a large problem L. The cultural barriers which lead to a them and us kinda thinking. While some people may say they feel European, they tend to think of themselves as Irish/German/Dutch/Italian etc first. The more stresses you apply, the more this feeling goes up. You see this within nations(urban/rural, even racial/cultural divides), but that's really magnified in a setup like the EU. A common language would really help, on so many levels, but I can't see that happening any time soon.

later12

Yes me neither, because the problem with the languages issue is that any attempt to resolve it, such as mandatory education in German and English, or the provision of services in 23 languages in each jurisdiction, will be seen as building castles in the air at best, and forced assimilation of European people at worst.

Yet it is probably one of the most important ways of promoting integration and the idea of a European people. So if it is not feasible, is the prospect of a European people really feasible either?

At some stage, the European Union has to stop being an experiment and get on with the business of being a Union - and that means some genuine form of integration. Nobody wants total assimilation or homogeneity - but we need to stop thinking of Europe as the conglomeration that hands us money on occasion in return for preventing us from cutting our hedgerows. The latter not quite being what Jacques Delors had in mind.

stringed theory

later12 wrote: »

is the prospect of a European people really feasible either?

I think so. At least language shouldn't prevent this happening. Ireland is maybe too addicted to life in an Anglo-American cultural bubble, but in this regard Ireland doesn't matter.
Look at Switzerland, India (with over twelve major languages, and which is really held together by English), or Indonesia (held together by bahasa Indonesia which is hardly anyone's first language)
And in Europe, English is so widespread there is no insurmountable barrier for anyone interested in learning about or living in another member state.

Apart from language learning, some kind of pan European political process, such as electing a European president would help. This has been several times suggested by Angela Merkel, amongst others, and may also help to foster a Europe wide news media.

But, before anything else, a country is a place to live in. The free movement of people is the greatest builder of a European people. This is something that barely registers in Ireland, but is a very big issue elsewhere. With the mass movement of eastern Europeans, a European people is being forged right now.
It would help if things like income tax and the justice system could be harmonized, but the basics are in place. Many a time I have arrived at the border of the European Union, after a stay somewhere in Asia, with a real sense of homecoming.