How effectively does the EU relate to its citizens?

CHRISTOPHER LESLIE QUINN. REG. NO. 200037400. SEMESTER 1: 2000/01.

ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES FACULTY. EUROPEAN STUDIES BASIC CLASS.

CLASS CODE: 50 102.

I declare that this coursework embodies the results of my own work and that it has been composed by myself. Following normal academic conventions I have made due acknowledgement to the work of others.

Signature: ………………………………….. Date: …………………

ESSAY TITLE:

How effectively does the EU relate to its citizens?

1 “Citizen n. inhabitant of a city; person with full rights in a country or state. Citizenship .n.”

2 “a person, native or naturalised, who has the right of voting, and is entitled to protection.”

It is difficult to say how effective the EU relates to its citizens. The European Union has many institutions, which deals with relations to its citizens. These include the Parliament, the European Council, the Commission and the European Court of Justice. Looking at a few of these separately and scrutinising the functions of the selected institutions will be essential in discovering how successfully the EU relates to its citizens.

3European integration and construction has been regarded by many of us, especially in Britain and Denmark, a totally remote and abstract image, we do not display much interest in it. (as shown by voting in the European Parliament) .4 In other words, the European Community is seen as a commercial association with technocracy and technocrats, not offering any specific benefits to daily life and not contributing any protection to fundamental rights and aspirations for freedom, democracy and social justice.

5The ultimate aim of all these European institutions are to achieve, “a union of the peoples comprised in it that ensures peace and civil and human progress”. After fifty years of European integration, which has made Europe a great prosperous region, the citizens have enjoyed the benefits without even knowing it or how significant Europe actually is. 6 “Community Machinery” ; people have much wider choices and opportunities , as a result their rights are better protected and the overall standard of living has improved in Europe.

For a clearer picture of this reality it is vital to describe a few of the institutions involved in the areas of responsibility in relating with its citizens.

6 The European Parliament (EP),created in 1962, is the most democratic and authentic institution, being elected by direct universal suffrage by the citizens of Europe. The European Parliament relates to citizens very effectively by means of democracy and voting, thus giving the people a voice in Europe. There are currently 620 Members of European Parliament (MEPs) elected every five years by a proportional representation electoral system (% of votes = % of seats). There are MEPs from each of the 15 member states.

The element that hinders the Parliament from relating to its citizens as effective as it should is ...

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The element that hinders the Parliament from relating to its citizens as effective as it should is the low turnouts at elections. 7 There are three main reasons for this. Firstly, European elections do not offer any prospect of major changes in, governments, policies, reputations and fail to stimulate any interest or political excitement. Secondly, “European” issues fail to make any impact at all and election campaigns have little cohesion or co-ordination. Finally, there is not much media interest and everything seems to be played down to a “half-hearted” manner in the elections, they seem to be seen as nowhere as important as national elections.

8The United Kingdom has displayed the lowest of all turnouts in Europe at only 36% in 1994! Belgium and Luxembourg have had the highest turnouts at over 90% voting in 1994.

These elements make it difficult for the EU to relate to its citizens.

9 The European Court Of Justice has the fundamental task in ensuring all 15 member states are in total compliance with the EU law and all their applications. It has jurisdiction for the settlement of disputes between the member states. The Court deals with the human rights that are seen to be too “sensitive” for national courts to give a judgement. The European Court of Justice may also deal with the movement of European citizens and their freedoms. This institution tries hard to communicate its laws to all member states and their citizens in aspects like protecting the environment against further damage from pollution and global warming.

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1. The Oxford Dictionary, (Oxford, 1995) p.69

2 I. Crewe, Conceptions Of Citizenship Among the British Public: An Exploratory Analysis (University of Essex, 1990), p.1

The European Parliament, Citizens Europe: Action Taken By Parliament To Serve Its Citizens(Luxembourg,1992), p.3
The European Parliament, Citizens Europe: Action Taken By Parliament To Serve Its Citizens(Luxembourg,1992), p.3
The European Parliament, Citizens Europe: Action Taken By Parliament To Serve Its Citizens(Luxembourg,1992), p.5
The European Parliament, Citizens Europe: Action Taken By Parliament To Serve Its Citizens(Luxembourg,1992), p.7
N. Nugent, The Government And Politics Of The European Union (4th Edition), (Hampshire, 1999), p.222-223.
N. Nugent, The Government And Politics Of The European Union (4th Edition), (Hampshire, 1999), p.221.
N. Nugent, The Government And Politics Of The European Union (4th Edition), (Hampshire, 1999), p.227.

In our native country of Scotland, we do not even think of ourselves as being a “British” citizen, never mind a “European” citizen. This hinders the EU, when trying to relate to its citizens effectively in all 15 member states.

There has been action taken by the institutions to establish a citizens’ Europe.

10The EEC Treaty outlines six main requirements or instructions for the EU to relate to its citizens more effectively 11 (a) prohibition of any discrimination on race or nationality (b) freedom of movement, for workers (c) social security measures to ensure that freedom (d) freedom for other nationals to be in the different member states (e) the right of the citizens of one member state to provide services to other member states (f) equal pay for male and females all across the EU.

This would unite all of the European citizens, everybody seeing each other as fellow workers on an even playing field. Trust and pride is essential and most important for the EU to ever start relating to its citizens.

11 Many people feel that the fear of losing autonomy and sovereignty is the biggest and most significant obstacle preventing the EU relating to its citizens. This obstacle is so great, that after 50 years of integration, not many member states even feel like being European Citizens! This fear of losing autonomy may never go away and many member states, like Britain, feel that the “intergovermentalist” approach is most suitable in policy making and decision-making. Others feel that this prevents the EU relating to its citizens, they feel that the “supranational” approach is most effective for the EU to ever relate with its citizens. “Supranational” here means that Europe has power in policymaking and decision making. The right mixture and combination of these two (Intergovernmental / Supranational) will lead to the EU relating to its citizens more effectively.

British people may not feel like European citizens because Britain is a superpower on its own, and, is an island cut off from Europe. Britain has much to lose; unlike the smaller countries with no superpower status that have everything to gain from being EU citizens. All these elements may illustrate why the single European currency “the Euro” has not been adopted or favoured in Britain, but has been successful elsewhere all over Europe.

The EU and its institutions have created numerous essential privileges for citizens, especially the Commission (Civil Service of Europe).

12These have been observed as a progress “towards a Citizens Europe”.

Democracy, healthcare and employment are basic rights as a citizen, the EU have aimed to achieve these objectives. 13The right of citizens to submit petitions to the Parliament, strengthens democracy within the EU. Major health problems in Europe are cancer and drug addictions; they require massive investment to reduce these problem areas. Communication and transport is becoming simpler with technology. Different cultures and languages (nationalisms) can be easily learned, resulting in more “union” within European countries. All of these elements promote European identity and the European Flag displays that, with the circle of stars representing all of the member states.

14 “Europe without frontiers” is seen as a major step for the EU to relate to its citizens to its maximum. 15The free movement for citizens ensures freedom in the movement of persons, goods, services and capital. A major element to brake down the primitive boundaries and obstacles was the creation of the European Passport, Driving Licence and the European Currency. These privileges are essential for the EU to relate to it citizens; no matter of nationality you are; now you know you are a part of Europe and a proper citizen.

16 The creation of a common labour market (free movement of workers), in which every citizen has access to employment in any other member state without encountering restrictions based on his nationality, is fundamental for the EU to connect effectively with its citizens.

17It is clear from the efforts of the European institutions that they have the will to build a “Citizens Europe” based on the respect paid for the fundamental rights and privileges essential for individual citizenship. This makes it natural for the EU to communicate and relate to its citizens effectively. 18When you look at a few of the countries desperate to enter the EU (Bulgaria, Turkey, Malta, Lithuania) it gives you a sense of how the EU is a superpower with strong relations with it citizens.

19 “So how effectively does the EU relate to its citizens?” The European institutions will continue to perfect its relations with its citizens through, democratic principles, human rights, dignity, and to ultimately activate participation of citizens in political, economic and social life in Europe.

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The European Parliament, Citizens Europe: Action Taken By Parliament To Serve Its Citizens(Luxembourg,1992), p13
European Studies Basic Class Lecture Notes ( Strathclyde University, 2000)
The European Parliament, Citizens Europe: Action Taken By Parliament To Serve Its Citizens(Luxembourg,1992), p15
European Studies Basic Class Lecture Notes ( Strathclyde University, 2000)
The European Parliament, Citizens Europe: Action Taken By Parliament To Serve Its Citizens(Luxembourg,1992), p21
The European Parliament, Citizens Europe: Action Taken By Parliament To Serve Its Citizens(Luxembourg,1992), p21
The European Parliament, Citizens Europe: Action Taken By Parliament To Serve Its Citizens(Luxembourg,1992), p31
The European Parliament, Citizens Europe: Action Taken By Parliament To Serve Its Citizens(Luxembourg,1992), p51
European Studies Basic Class Lecture Notes ( Strathclyde University, 2000)
The European Parliament, Citizens Europe: Action Taken By Parliament To Serve Its Citizens(Luxembourg,1992), p53

Bibliography

Crewe.I , (1990) Conceptions of Citizenship Among British and American Publics: An Exploratory Analysis ( University Of Essex : ESSEX PAPERS IN POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT).

The European Parliament : Directorate-General For Research (1992) Citizens’ Europe: Action Taken By The European Parliament To Create A European Community To Serve Its Citizens (Luxembourg : Office for Official Publications of the European Communities)

Nugent. N, (1999) The Government And Politics Of The European Union (4th Ed.)

( Hampshire : THE MACMILLAN PRESS LTD.)

European Studies Basic Class (2000) Lecture Notes On The European Parliament And The Applicant Countries (Glasgow : The University Of Strathclyde)