European Union Paper

European Union Paper

MGT 448

Instructor

Introduction

The European Union is made up of several democratic European countries. These countries are committed to working together to promote peace and prosperity. The countries who are involved with the EU have set up common institutions so they can delegate their ideas to decisions that are made on specific issues. This makes these decisions so that the EU stays on a democratic level.

European Union leaders have pledged to make the EU the world's most dynamic knowledge-based society with a competitive economy and a skilled workforce. (Communities, 1995 ) The EU wants businesses to prosper in their region. Through the integration of the region and looking to the different economic situations of each country involved in the EU region the EU plans on advancing its position as a world leader in global business.

Integration

One third of the EU's Ð'Ђ100-billion-a-year budget is used to stimulate the economy and to create jobs in disadvantaged regions and to provide training for unemployed or under qualified people. (Communities, 1995) The EU has worked to integrate their region through the creation of what the Europeans call, the Euro. Since the creation of the Euro, there have been several million jobs that have been created.

Immigration and asylum have also had significant impacts on the Integration of the EU for the better. Treaties, successive agreements, and 'action plans' have invited several who reside outside of the EU territories. Because of the amount of people from different countries and one of the EU's main industries, tourism, the elimination of border control between the countries of the EU has been a large success. The common rules that are applicable to visas, claiming asylum rights and checks at external borders, were brought into light by the coordination efforts of the police and the judicial system.

A disadvantage of Integration of the EU is the speed at which integration is occurring. The EU is moving towards more integration at a phenomenal rate with not enough thought or debate on the issues.(Communities, 1995) Countries risk being swept away with the speed in which integration is taking over the region. The EU maps its own course in the interest of its own group and not the citizens of the different countries that the EU is representing.

Yet another advantage to the EU with respects to integration is Socio-economic research findings. Because the EU works to integrate its states, the EU is always looking to new risks, new ideas. is Socio-economic research with analysis on the development of social capital in the EU and on the risks and opportunities of new technologies and societal dynamics is gaining importance against the backdrop of structural change and EU enlargement to improve the implementation and efficiency of political reforms.

Economic Development Stages

The countries which make up the EU are; Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Each presents a different economic stage that exists within the EU. By taking a look at the difference between specific countries a better well rounded picture will emerge which will tell how well the EU is working on making their Union a union that betters each country within its union borders.

Austria/Germany

Austria and Germany both have a well-developed economy

and have a high standard of living. Both countries have economies

with up-to-date industrial and agricultural areas. In Austria there

is a severe problem with the aging population, which causes

problems with the already high health costs and may cause big

problems within tax and welfare policies. The growth rate of the

GDP in Austria is growing at 1.9%. Austria had a GDP in 2005 of

302.7 Billion dollars. In Germany the GDP is growing at a rate of

.08% and had a GDP in 2005 of 2.83 Trillion Dollars. Germany

defiantly dominates Austria in the affluence and richness of its

economy, but both are very well off for the population which exists

within their borders.

Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is one of the most prosperous and stable economies of any of the previously Communist states. Many of the

Czech Republics