“The euro is far more than a medium of exchange… It is part of the identity of a people. It reflects what they have in common now and in the future.” - European Central Bank Governor Wim Duisenberg, December 31, 1998
Infrastructures
The Schengen Agreement
The Schengen agreement provides an area made up of 26 European countries which people are able to travel from one to another without visas or border controls; it abolished common border controls between the 26 members. It functions as a single country for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy. The area is named after the village of Schengen in Luxembourg where the Schengen Agreement, which led to the area's creation in 1995, was signed. The area currently covers a population of over 400 million people and an area of 4,312,099 square kilometers.
The Schengen area currently has 26 members, including 4 which are not members of the European Union.
Two of the non-EU members, Iceland and Norway are officially classified as states associated with the Schengen activities of the EU. Switzerland was subsequently allowed to participate in the same manner in 2008. Liechtenstein joined the Schengen Area on 19 December 2011.
The remaining 4 EU member states, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania, are obliged to eventually join the Schengen area. However before fully implementing the Schengen rules, each state must have its preparedness assessed in four areas: air borders, visas, police cooperation, and personal data protection.
This treaty allows people to travel from one country to another without any complicated controls. Therefore people travel more in the Schengen area, which benefits many countries’ tourism economy. The most common way of transport in the Schengen area is by car, which means that people will have to stop in some countries to spend nights before arriving at their destination. Therefore people invest in different countries, the economy then improves.
But still, there are problems in the Schengen area. In 2011, France closed once its train borders to prevent the massive number of African immigrants that were on trains from Italy. This is in spite of EU policies wanting to make sure that there is free movement of people as well as goods and capital, with their mission being to maintain common policies on trade. Immigration has always been a huge problem in France.
In conclusion, the Schengen treaty provides an area which gives people the possibility to travel from one country to another without any difficulties. However, although there are policies on free movement, some countries, such as France, still turns down many immigration applications.
By Clement Liu pour modifier.
The Schengen agreement provides an area made up of 26 European countries which people are able to travel from one to another without visas or border controls; it abolished common border controls between the 26 members. It functions as a single country for international travel purposes, with a common visa policy. The area is named after the village of Schengen in Luxembourg where the Schengen Agreement, which led to the area's creation in 1995, was signed. The area currently covers a population of over 400 million people and an area of 4,312,099 square kilometers.
The Schengen area currently has 26 members, including 4 which are not members of the European Union.
Two of the non-EU members, Iceland and Norway are officially classified as states associated with the Schengen activities of the EU. Switzerland was subsequently allowed to participate in the same manner in 2008. Liechtenstein joined the Schengen Area on 19 December 2011.
The remaining 4 EU member states, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania, are obliged to eventually join the Schengen area. However before fully implementing the Schengen rules, each state must have its preparedness assessed in four areas: air borders, visas, police cooperation, and personal data protection.
This treaty allows people to travel from one country to another without any complicated controls. Therefore people travel more in the Schengen area, which benefits many countries’ tourism economy. The most common way of transport in the Schengen area is by car, which means that people will have to stop in some countries to spend nights before arriving at their destination. Therefore people invest in different countries, the economy then improves.
But still, there are problems in the Schengen area. In 2011, France closed once its train borders to prevent the massive number of African immigrants that were on trains from Italy. This is in spite of EU policies wanting to make sure that there is free movement of people as well as goods and capital, with their mission being to maintain common policies on trade. Immigration has always been a huge problem in France.
In conclusion, the Schengen treaty provides an area which gives people the possibility to travel from one country to another without any difficulties. However, although there are policies on free movement, some countries, such as France, still turns down many immigration applications.
By Clement Liu pour modifier.
European Infrastructures
Europe is now a centre of cultural, economic, political, scientific, energetic importance. Indeed the member nations house some of the world’s most advanced infrastructures, in sectors that are essential to today’s world.
In the economic centre, Europe clearly shines out: the European economy consists of 731 million people based in over 48 countries. Its countries are among the wealthiest of the world, with the poorest of them still being far above the global average. In 2010, Europe’s GDP was $19.920 trillion, which represents 30% of the world’s GDP. The European Union however, is undoubtedly the world’s most striving and rich economies. This is due to the strong united currency: the Euro, and the numerous free trade agreements passed by the member countries, such as the Schengen Agreement, signed in 1992, allowing countries to completely open up their borders to untaxed trade between the European countries, on a national scale.
Europe is also dominant in several economic sectors: firstly in agriculture and fishing, farmers, breeders and fisherman are trained men with superior knowledge about their activities than any others in the world. Europe, and more specifically France, is a world leader in agriculture and farming, producing as more on a smaller surface than countries like the United States. They also have access to some of the most advanced technology in the world. Moreover, they are heavily protected by European agreements that ensure minimum prices for their stocks and bring financial aid when needed.
In the manufacturing sector, the European Union is still a leader. 195 of the top 500 companies are based in Europe. Manufacturing has become less relevant to Europe with the increase of wages and skills of European Workers. Although there has been a decrease in the manufacturing of simple tasks, sent to developing countries, where workforce is cheaper, the European workforce is highly skilled and still very competitive by its expertise.
The financial sector is also booming in Europe with powerful banking and stock market infrastructures. European banks are some of the most profitable and stable in the world. Moreover, the Euro serves as a booster in the economy, as a strong and sure way of trading and inviting, which is rendered even easier with the nearly absent exchange rates. The euro is the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union and is the official currency of the eurozone which is 17 countries out of the 28 members of the European Union. The currency is also used in a further five European countries and consequently used daily by some 334 million Europeans as of 2013.
Europe also has an important place in politics with very complex political infrastructures that include the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Court of Auditors and the European Central Bank. All this leads to a powerful, organized and efficient union of the member nations, giving the European Union significant political importance on the national and international scale.
Europe is also a centre of technology and research with a dedicated council: the European Research Council. The wealth of the member states and the agreeable economic atmosphere make an ideal match for research and technological developments in Europe. Europe has some of the most advanced and wealthy research corporations, reflecting the technological importance of Europe through its research infrastructures.
Europe has some of the oldest civilisations of the world and holds dearly to its cultural heritage. This is seen through arts, science, philosophy, religion, cuisine, clothing and sports. Indeed, Europe’s culture also attracts many foreign tourists, therefore using cultural heritage to boost the economy. Through its millennia of history and its protection, Europe shows its cultural power to the world.
In conclusion, it is clear that the European Union is a strong body, with complex and reliable infrastructures in every sector, ready to ensure its leading place in the world.
By Corentin Robin