English – Stran 4

Europe’s waiting room

This year marks the 11th anniversary of the big “Eastern enlargement” when 10 countries from Central and Eastern Europe, who have in common an undemocratic past, become part of the EU. The “Big Bang” enlargement has been followed by two smaller ones, with the last in 2013, when Croatia joined. After the 2004 enlargement, some were talking about an “enlargement fatigue”, which is apparently still persisting. Even if there are still some countries in the waiting room, the enlargement is on hold for at least the next 5 years. Can this be considered still as a simpton of the “fatigue” or an actual stop?

Vir: (c) Evropska komisija — Source: (c) European Commission

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Monsieur Juncker, an EU army could never be NATO.

On Monday, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, surprised by a statement that the European Union should respond to the growing aggressiveness of Russia by uniting the military capabilities of its Member States based on the model of NATO. According to Juncker, a man dedicated to further integration of European countries, the EU can at this time no longer remain credible if we are not willing to make sure that we can protect our values by an armed force. Reactions of Member States were varied. But, can we imagine that one day there may be a future in which the European Union will be defended by soldiers with blue and gold flags on their uniforms? Perhaps. At the moment, when Putin’s Russia is increasingly flexing its muscles, and the Islamist regime of Daesh is becoming increasingly widespread in the Middle East, it could be a right time for EU Member States to move forward and unite their troops under one roof.

One question remains, however. Would an EU army, modeled on NATO be the best solution?

opening_ceremony_kicks_off_eufor_exercise_quick_response_2013_3_20130416_1250137109 — Source: euforbih.org

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Free movement of series – the fifth EU freedom?

Last Friday premiered the third season of the series House of Cards. For the first time since the series began, I can legally view it at the same time as in the US, where the series comes from and also at the same time as in France, the UK, Ireland and other countries where Netflix is available. However if, for example, I would decide to return home to Slovenia, I couldn’t access to the service, even though I paid for it. To exaggerate, it is as if I would buy a book in Belgium and it would be confiscated at my arrival at the airport in Ljubljana, just because this book is not sold in Slovenia. The only difference is that the second thing is forbidden, while the first is still allowed. But why?

Vir: images.iop.org — Source images.iop.org

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Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: What’s in it for the EU?

written by Polona Gul

It would be hard to find another trade agreement that has ever been under such media spotlight than Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is at the moment. But that is understandable as TTIP is much more than just another preferential trade agreement project: it aims to link the world’s two biggest economic entities. TTIP, for which negotiations between the European Union and the United States began in 2013, is presented as an ambitious and comprehensive partnership.

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European Parliament’s Travelling Circus

The European Union is a strange thing. Instead of laws it has regulations and directives, instead of a constitution it has treaties, instead of a foreign minister it has a High Representative for Foreign and Security policy. And it has the seat of its parliament outside of its “capital”. That’s true. Even if a lot of people think that the huge glass building in the Leopold quarter in Brussels is the seat of the European Parliament, it is not true. The official seat of this institution is in the European quarter in Strasbourg, near the L’Ill river, close to the Palace of Europe (the seat of the Council of Europe) and the European Court of Human Rights. Why is that so? Why MEPs have to move, every month for 4 days to the capital of Alsace? And especially, can we stop this travelling circus?

visitingillu_groups1 — Plenary chambers in Brussels and Strasbourg (Source: (c) European Union – European parliament)

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Europe in Space: Extravaganza or a Long-term Investment?

What’s going to happen with the Greek debt, one-two-three seats of the European Parliament, Luxleaks, 100 days of the new European Commission, the British referendum … When we’re focusing so much on ourselves, it’s time to take a look from beyond. So I decided to take you on a space adventure today and take a look at what the Europeans are doing up there. In fact, I was reminded of this specific EU policy by the former President of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, who wrote his commentary on the EU space policy in this week’s Parliament Magazine. So, what is out there of Europe’s and how can we use it to make our lives on Earth easier? Why would Europeans need a common space policy? Is the money put into joining forces in explorations of space well invested? Let’s see. Please, fasten your seat belts. Take off in 5-4-3-2-1 …

Hektor - francoska podgana je verjetno prvi Evropejec, ki se je podal v vesolje. Foto:ŠM — Hector – this French rat was probably the first European to go to space. Photo:ŠM

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GR-ENTRY: a new political phase after the Greek elections

by Christos Aivaliotis

GREXIT. That was the boogie man for the last years. Greece willingly or by force leaving the Eurozone. Consequences for Portugal, Ireland, Spain (rest of the PIGS), or even Italy or France. Endangering the very existence of the common currency. Personally I never believed it can happen. Not because of blind faith to the competence of ruling political class of Greece to face the challenges of the financial crisis. Neither because I believed other European elites would do anything to protect one of the weakest members of the European family. It was purely because I have spent most of my adult years studying the EU. With such a complex political and legal system, it is unimaginable that such a dangerous decision for the EU itself would be rushed when so many other positive steps had to wait years of treaty reforms, parliamentary votes, national vetoes and referenda. (If it was that easy, I am afraid our friends across the Channel would have left us long ago).

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Europe (and Schengen) after Paris

Two weeks after the Paris attacks Europe is still facing the consequences of it. The most threatened countries tightened the security measures, while in some countries there were several police actions to prevent new potential attacks. It seems anyway that this event was a woke up call for the countries, now we just need to wait how long they will be awake. Beside the “national” wake up, some countries would like to see that Europe would wake up too and they are seeking some EU law changes. Together with a fast track adoption of EU legislation regarding the exchange of PNR data, some countries (like Spain and France) are calling for a change of Schengen rules. As always, Europe is the best scapegoat for someones own errors.

Svetovni voditelji na republikanskem shodu v Parizu (Vir: (c) Evropska unija 2015 - Evropska komisija) — World leaders attending the republican march in Paris (Source: (c) European Union 2015 – European Commission)

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Good bye Italia, good luck Latvija!

With the presentation of the achievements during the plenary session of the EP in Strasbourg, Italy yesterday also formally finished its 12th presidency of the Council of the EU. Our western neighbour passes the relay to a “newcomer”, that entered into the EU with us – Latvia, who will aim to a “competitive, digital and engaged Europe.”

Logotip predsedovanja (Vir: eu2015.lv) — The presidency logo(Vir: eu2015.lv)

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Why Member States still want to join the Euro: The Case of Lithuania 1.1.2105

National motive on Lithuanian Euro coins. © Bank of Lithuania, 2014 — National motive on Lithuanian Euro coins.
© Bank of Lithuania, 2014

At a time when the value of the euro reached a historical low of the last nine years, the Eurozone adopted a new member – Lithuania. The Baltic state is set to adopt the common currency in spite of the rresurgenceof the Grexit debate and blunt relations with Russia, its largest neighbor and former ruler. Perhaps Lithuanian citizens were convinced by the forecast of their national central bank, stating that in the long run the adoption of the Euro will contribute to a 1,3% growth of the country’ GDP.

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