by James Kilcourse
An ‘ever closer union among the peoples of Europe’ is one of the stated aims of the founding treaty of the European Union. It implies the eventual coming together of the peoples of Europe into a single political entity, or demos. For some Member States and European citizens this is an article of faith underlying the European integration project. Others, however, remain sceptical not only about the desirability of this goal, but also – and more crucially – about its very feasibility.
by Estefanía Almenta
I was born in Spain in a family of very humble means. My parents never had the opportunity to study, but I did thanks to the effort of my country, which paid for my education. Now I’m highly qualified and ready to give back to society the fruits of all the investment they did on me over these years. Sadly I cannot do it because I cannot find a job.
When I hear EU policy-makers talking about ‘Youth Guarantee Schemes’[1] and about the ‘New Deal’[2] to tackle youth unemployment, it comes as a little ray of hope to me. Undoubtedly these youth employment measures represent a unique opportunity to change the course of events. Still I wonder: Will this be enough? The schemes address the problems of young people under 25 who are neither in employment nor in education or training (so-called NEETs), but what about young adults over 25 in their prime earning years? What about highly educated young citizens with work experience, but currently unemployed?
This is the question I asked German Minister of Finance Wolfgang Schäuble more
by Noora Lampinen
When speaking with a class of 15 year olds about Europe; about possibilities, history, culture and the institutions, explaining decision making in the EU wasn’t the easiest – and I don’t blame them, it’s not crystal.
“Codecision” or more fancily “ordinary legislative procedure” being the standard procedure of decision-making in the European Union, where the European Parliament approves EU legislation together with the Council, i.e. governments of the 27, soon 28 EU countries and the Commission on the other hand drafts and implements EU legislation. This sounds complicated enough, even without adding the structures of the institutions, the diverging interests of member states and cultural differences. How there is ever consensus in negotiations of the multiannual financial framework, bail outs and whatnot seems incredible. more
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