Discussion: Opinions on the European Union

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by Porphos, Mar 10, 2015.

?

How do you view the EU, its policies, and structure?

9-10 (Best) 2 vote(s) 5.3%
7-8 12 vote(s) 31.6%
4-6 (Neutral) 16 vote(s) 42.1%
2-3 2 vote(s) 5.3%
0-1 (Least) 6 vote(s) 15.8%
  1. Hey all! As many of you know, EMC is full of people from all across the world of many different nationalities and political standpoints. I have always wondered what people living in and out of the EU feel about its policies and structure.
    Please post your nationality (or if you don't feel comfortable, the continent you live on) and your opinion on EU policies.
    Note: this can be a sensitive subject and I don't want a flame war, so please try not to kill each other
  2. I live in the CONTINENT America(no I'm not from North America)
  3. Well, nationality of United States of America. I consider myself largely uniformed on the European Union, completely. Therefore 110% neutral.
    PenguinDJ likes this.
  4. They stick their hands into other's business. They think that they have authority when they don't, they think they have supreme knowledge/insight, and they don't. As an American I am likely biased in this, as even if I try to find out everything about them, I am cherry picked articles that show their negative side. But from what I have seen (both good and bad), they like to be a PITA to everything other than the European groups that influence them.

    If the US is the world's police, then the EU is the world's congress.

    BTW, any nation (especially my own) that meddles in another's business bugs me. It is just that the EU seems to only do that lol.
    ShelLuser and SoulPunisher like this.
  5. I reside in Great Nation of Texas..... :p United States. I'm in the same boat as Chickeneer. My only real knowledge of EU action is from Poland Ball strips. I mean I know what the EU is and when established but no nothing of their polices.
  6. As a Belgian (and therefor also a European) I actually think the idea behind the EU is pretty fine.
    You know, work together, try to get things done..

    The only concern I have is that stuff is way too slow, as all politics are.

    Now that is exactly how some of us view the USA too ;)
    L3A8, JackBiggin and 72Volt like this.
  7. >inb4 soulpunisher makes hardline anti-EU post ;)

    The European Union has made an enormous contribution to the world so far, and will, in the future, be the world's most important political entity.

    It started as the European Coal and Steel Community. A god damn brilliant idea. Hey guise, it's just after the Second World War, we've just gone and wrecked the place. How do we stop this happening again? Simple. We have all the countries likely to kill each other share their coal and steel production, which, as it happens, are two of the most basic things you need to produce weapons. Thanks Europe, for, oh, you know, only just preventing World War 3.

    Jump to the modern day. Because of the European Union, we have trade liberalisation; that is, free trade, the single market, and the customs union. 506 million people can live, work, and travel anywhere else in the Union. Without it, businesses would only have a maximum of 80 million consumers to sell to without tariffs; the Union gives businesses throughout its member states six times the number of consumers to sell to, without tariffs. 506 million people now enjoy a single market, meaning more competition and thus better quality goods, higher prices, and more choice.

    The people of the 28 member states are represented as one, at a single parliament in Brussels, to which they send a total of 751 representatives. It is the largest democracy in the world outside of India. The possibilities for collaboration across so many different cultures and backgrounds creates so much opportunity for greater politics than what we can witness in any one state.

    The product of this collaboration is better, more efficient policy than what any single state could ever hope to produce. The Union itself means that instead of having 756 bilateral treaties, each of which would need to be edited any time a state wanted anything changed, we have a single elected democratically accountable government in Brussel to do it. The Union has, as a result, made huge strides in developments in consumer protection, agriculture, foreign policy, and many other areas.

    Then there's the Euro. Personally I don't believe in fractional reserve currencies, but it's better to have as few currencies across the world as possible to eliminate the hassle with exchange rates, than to have one currency per state. From Ireland to Latvia, it's accepted everywhere.

    The most important principle of the Union is this: it is a movement to make people realise that sovereignty is not more important than real results for the people. If you are an independent state in Europe, not part of any trade blocs, and you could have huge economic growth from being in the Union (like Romania or Poland), but you have to give over some sovereignty, then what do you do? You give over the god damn sovereignty, why would you not, who cares, as long as food is being put on some people's tables, who cares if you have direct power over your own affairs or not, as long as IT WORKS! Which, time and time again, it has proven to.

    Expand this to the world. The European Union could, in my view, be the first true continental union. Africa is already heading the same way. They intend to have a single, all-African currency called the 'Afro' by 2025. I am not kidding. We already have the African Union and NAFTA, it's not long. After that comes world federalism, the only solution which can truly guarantee equality by subjecting all humans, regardless of where they are born, to the same rights, laws and freedoms.
    Deadmaster98, 607, kitten3101 and 2 others like this.
  8. TL;DR??
    jkjkjk182 likes this.
  9. Guys we can all agree that none of the continents/countries have the best government.... except Antartica! Antartica is da best! We solve everything.... quite alone, but it works!

    jkjk go USA yeah! We like to help people.
  10. EU started when six countries decided to pool together their coal and steel production to prevent another World War

    The EU's free trade and single market has allowed 506 million people to trade, travel, live, work and collaborately freely anywhere in the EU

    The European Parliament in Brussels draws 751 representatives from 28 countries, allowing for huge opportunities for collaboration due to the wide variety of expertise and cultural backgrounds

    Because the Parliament is able to collect people from 28 countries and not just one, they are able to find the very best, meaning better policy and government

    The Euro, while it has its flaws, is hugely important for reducing transaction fees

    The most important principle of the Union is this: it is a movement to make people realise that sovereignty is not more important than real results for the people. It doesn't matter whether a country retains its sovereignty, as long as being in an organisation like the EU works (which it does).

    The EU is leading a movement to reorganise the world away from nation-states and towards 'continental unions'; Africa is already following with their own currency, the 'Afro', and I hope the end result of this will be world federalism
    Deadmaster98 and SkyDragonv8 like this.
  11. We can't agree, but we can certainly make a decent statement.

    For example, the Nordic countries are damn good at this whole governance and society thing.
  12. Sure I guess....
  13. No guessing in it, they top HDI, it's undeniable. ;)
  14. I'm from the UK

    I don't know quite where my standpoint is. I'm somewhere between neutral and anit-EU I think.
    I am so uneducated (because who actually is, except volt :p) on the matter I don't really know. I like to think that I'm not particularly swayed by the media, but I probably am.

    They have brought out some quite nifty things that I quite like, such as environmental regulations (e.g. power consumption of electronics) that will in the long run really do some good.

    I think the big problem is that people don't like being told what to do by some politicians they've never heard of in Brussels. The media attention brought by the EU is usually negative, because they might be changing something or adding new regulations. In the whole, I don't think the UK handles change all to well.

    The whole immigration problem is where I really don't know what to think. I don't blame people wanting to move here to get a better life, if you were in their situation you would probably do the same. All I do know is that immigration needs to be controlled, and I would support a party that supports that (However, I am not pro-UKIP :p) We can't really do that unless the EU lets us and it's pretty unlikely, so maybe getting out of the EU would be necessary.
  15. The EU is keeping Scotland in the UK... but then again. I didn't really care if the Scots left. They cost more than they make.
    golddigger221 likes this.
  16. I agree with the EU as a concept. I personally don't care too much about sovereignty as long as my views are being recognized and protected. However, the EU really has not been that superior in economics considering its GDP growth is not very stable and is dropping significantly considering the Euro's exchange rate for USD has dropped to 1.05 and it has the combined GPA and power of 28 member states. I remember when the Euro held a much higher conversion rate. Furthermore, I don't see very many signs of the Euro gaining much more worth. The EU's governing body also really isn't efficient whatsoever. For example, it takes longer to get anything done than even Congress here in the US. I like the idea of free trade across the world, but trade should not be unlimited because lets face it: some people will never follow the rules and will always try to find some way to hurt others. I personally don't believe that the world can function under a single order either way.

    Note: Not hating on the EU
  17. This a very dangerous topic. Before you know you have a war inside the forum. So i dont post any comments.
    porphos likes this.
  18. This is a discussion. We've had a lot more 'dangerous topic' on here and they haven't turned to war.
    607, boozle628 and jkjkjk182 like this.