Introduction
The European Union is a partnership between European countries. European Union is typically a political and economic partnership that covers much of the continent to implement its policies and achieve its targets. The formation of the European Union was after the Second World War to mainly encourage and promote economic cooperation within countries. The main reason that led to the idea of European Union formation was to encourage countries to trade with each other.
Through this step, countries would be more economically dependent on each other and avoid conflicts between each other because of the ties that they have between them. The European Union strictly follows the rules of law. The union aspires to promote peace among its member states to uphold and respect human rights and freedoms. In addition, the union has made an impact on its members in numerous ways.
These impacts include the promotion of peace among member states, raising living standards, stability, and prosperity. The European Union has also launched the single currency on the continent. The objective of the union is to ensure that all member states benefit from its activities such as funding projects and humanitarian aid. The European Union is yet to achieve its full potential since many countries are yet to join the union as members. The European Union has also come up with policies to assist and guide its operations. This paper will discuss the policy areas in which the European Union engages.
Analysis
European Union has a number of policies it has initiated. Human rights and equality among its member states are one of the policies spearheaded by the union. The union encourages democracy among member states. In addition, it advocates for the rule of law. Based on European values, the Union has built its commitment to pursuing human rights and democracy around the world (Balfour 2). Advocating for human rights has enabled most member states to respect the will of people and grant more rights to their citizens in their constitutions. Citizens stand to benefit from these policies since the constitution protects their rights. In addition, citizens of member states can carry on with their duties without fear of intimidation by the ruling government.
The European Union encourages free and fair elections in its member states. The union also encourages fair competition among aspiring candidates for elections. (Balfour 6). The policy seeks to promote freedom of worship and encourage its members to uphold these policies. The policy also seeks to promote the rights of both women and children who belong to the minority and marginalized communities. Some countries violate human rights and do not consider their well-being. The European Union requires countries that aspire to register as member states of the union to promote and protect human rights. This condition has seen many member states countries give more rights to its citizens through constitutional amendments or acts of parliament.
In addition, the union demands the respect and rights of displaced persons and those challenged physically or mentally. European Union uses its collective bargain to promote human rights all over the world because of the impact that they hold. European Union is the world’s largest aid donor.
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The union can use its importance as a global economic actor to attract more countries to join it. Through this practice, there will be a promotion of human rights since respecting and upholding human rights is one of the requirements states have to meet before becoming members of the union. In addition, the union has enabled individuals to form groups that keep the ruling government on check-in matters concerning human rights (Forsythe 176).
Citizens further live without fear of intimidation. The European Union actively promotes and defends human rights within its borders and when engaging in relations with non-European Union countries. For the reason, the European Union views these rights as universal and indivisible (Forsythe 178). The European Union respects the right to life and requires other countries to emulate the same.
The union considers human rights as an essential element in relations between parties. For this reason, the union requires all member states to uphold and respect the freedoms of citizens in their countries. European Union has developed ways in which it protects human rights since human rights violations occur in many forms. Through European Union initiatives, there is the protection of human rights and freedom to ensure there are no violations experienced by citizens.
Treaties of the union promoted under the national legislation enhance the protection of human rights within member states. The European Union also recognizes the rights and freedom of both the physically and mentally challenged people (Forsythe 180). Member states are also required to recognize the rights and freedoms of those who are less fortunate and the marginalized within their society. Some countries have included more rights in their constitutions just to show their support and respect for these freedoms. Countries also protect human rights groups and activists in their regions and respect their opinions regarding freedoms and human rights.
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European Union campaigns for equal rights between men and women (Balfour 10). Most countries discriminate against women and deny their basic rights such as the right for education. Women do not pursue education because the community always considers them homemakers. Apart from the denial of education rights, women also engage in early marriages. Women are married off when they are still at their tender age because they spend most of their time at home.
Some communities also consider women an asset since they view them from the perspective of how much they receive in exchange when the women are married off. Communities consider men as warriors and one of their main duties is to protect and to provide for their families. Some communities also subject women to female genital mutilation through cultural practices. The European Union strives to do away with practices that do not give equal rights to both males and females.
Member countries are encouraged to give equal attention to women and support them as much as they support the men. In addition, the European Union also discourages cultural practices that are not humane to citizens of their member states. Human rights activists raise such issues to relevant bodies so that they take action against those who practice activities that undermine human beings.
The European Union also encourages the antitrust policy. In most countries, including the United States of America, antitrust policies are part of the law enforced by the judicial arm of the government (Elhauge 309). Competition makes different companies and organizations offer consumer goods and services at the most favorable terms. Through completion, consumers stand to gain much since they are the people who benefit in the end since competition encourages efficiency and innovation.
The competition also enhances the reduction of prices and goods and services offered to consumers. Companies should, however, engage in a fair competition to enable potential clients to purchase products that are of good quality and the right quantity. Domestic antitrust law strives to advance domestic consumer welfare and not global welfare (Guzman 320). The European Union member states have come up with laws under the antitrust policy to ensure that free and fair competition prevails among the trading parties. Some of the practices that are not encouraged by the union are charging unfair prices by limiting production or refusing to innovate to the prejudice of consumers among others.
European Union has developed a policy on competition laws to safeguard damages before national courts. National antitrust policies act within the jurisdiction of their domestic antitrust laws (Guzman 320). The union works with the national courts in its member countries to ensure that the state follows its rules and regulations. The European Union aims to play a key role in promoting open market within its member states.
Through this practice, the union promotes economic growth and creates more employment opportunities. Creating more job opportunities for people, member states can promote their economic growth. The European Union, however, discourages trade practices that are not of benefit to the market. These practices affect consumers as goods offered to them for purchases are of low quality and quantity for consumption.
Another European Union policy is a regional policy. European Union regional policy is a policy that supports job creation within member states. The regional policy also encourages economic growth because of the revenues received from trade between the countries. The regional policy promoted by the European Union encourages the less developed countries to take advantage of these policies in order to create more jobs in their countries.
The regional policy also aims at reducing economic disparities that are still present among regions of the union (Bachtler and Turok, 6). European Union works towards promoting its regional policies through supporting research and innovation, promoting investment in a cleaner environment, improving access to digital technology, boosting small and medium-sized businesses among others. The union supports regional and local governments, as well as private sector contributions (Bachtler and Turok 6). The European Union is also improving transport links to remote regions to enhance growth and promote trade between its member states.
Member states are also encouraged to promote trade by doing away with bottlenecks that keep away more investors. These bottlenecks prevent potential investors from investing in countries that enhance this practice. Trade between countries increases the revenue of countries transacting business and in return enhancing economic growth. The regional policy of the European Union also referred to as cohesion policy which encourages the improvement of the economic well-being of regions to avoid regional disparities (Artobolevskiy 85).
European Union regional policy aims at making regions more competitive and creating jobs for citizens of member states. The union also promotes economic growth. In addition, the European Union regional policy encourages the unity of European member states (Artobolevskiy 88). Member states enhance unity through trade among member states that encourages and creates strong economic ties.
Through trade, member countries also foster peace. The union enhances the promotion of economic growth through trade between different countries since trading countries share and exchange innovative ideas. The union also offers financial assistance to developing countries (Artobolevskiy 88). These are normally grants given to the government to foster economic growth. The union also offers financial assistance in the form of grants to underdeveloped countries and restricts funding only to developed countries.
The Union funds regions with low per capita gross domestic product as a means of promoting their economy. The regional policy has encountered numerous setbacks experienced in member states (Breuer 4). The main objective of European territorial cooperation is to improve regional cooperation within member states. The union also provides training and fund projects that assist the countries.
European Union also enhances energy policy within its member states, as energy is essential to the economy (Aalto 12). The union is working towards securing energy and making it more accessible and affordable to all users. The European Union is also putting in place energy policies that protect energy sources (Morata and Sandoval 5). Thus, the energy policy will ensure a low consumption of energy by the member state. Sources of energy include fossil fuels and nuclear energy (Aalto 12). Examples of nuclear energy include oil, gas, and coal. Nuclear and renewable energy includes solar, wind, biomass, hydroelectric and geothermal energy. The union, however, faces energy challenges concerning sustainability.
The union is working on both long term and short term strategies to overcome the challenges it faces in the energy market (Morata and Sandoval 8). As one of the ways to meet the challenges, the union allows customers of member statutes to choose a supplier that offers services at a fair and competitive price. The union also encourages separation between the management of gas and electricity networks as one of the ways to encounter challenges.
The union also provides incentives to encourage investors to invest in networks as this increases the security of supply (Aalto 15). The union has also put forward concrete proposals for implementation to encounter the challenges it faces (Morata and Sandoval 8). The union advises its entire member states to implement these strategies. Environmental protection and fight against member states are also promoted by the European Union (Aalto 10). These practices also contribute to some of the ways to fight challenges. In addition, the European Union encourages member states to participate in activities that will ensure that energy consumption is minimal.
The European Union encourages cultural policies. European Union culture policies aim to address and promote the cultural dimension through relevant legislation and government funding. Policies implemented by the region support the development of the cultural activity of member countries. European Union encourages cultural policies to link diverse people and within the regions of member states (Grodach and Silver 170).
The union also funds cultural bodies in different countries as a means of promoting their culture. Every country has its culture of doing business. The union respects every culture of every country and works towards assisting in the promotion of their unique cultures through funding their activities. As a means of promoting networking and cultural information, the union also grants awards to cultural projects. Sport is another important side that is supported and promoted by the findings on behalf of the UE.
Through sports and friendly matches, the union promotes the culture of different state members and promotes peace. The European Union encourages sports among member states since this promotes cultural polices (Malloy 89). In addition, the European Union has many official languages but encourages member states to understand at least two of them. Through this practice, the union tries to enhance easy communication between member states when they meet while promoting their different political identities (Grodach and Silver 170). Promoting cultural practices and political identity has a greater impact on the cooperation among the member states.
The European Union, however, can use its influence to impose its own policies (Malloy 89). The European Union has a greater influence on all its member countries since they offer aid to projects initiated by the member states. In addition, the European Union promotes and supports minority groups through the development of adequate policies (Malloy 93). Cultural policies further promote peace, love, and unity among member states.
The Common Security and Defense Policy is one of the European Policies covering the defense and military aspects. The security defense policy works towards securing member states from adverse effects and external threats. Formation of the European Union was after a bloody world war II, which has greatly influenced the main military policies of a would-be union. Governed by these policies and regulations, leaders of the state members strive to work together to foster peace between countries.
The main aim of the EU is to promote peace and cooperation among member countries in different ways. For example, companies engage in trade by exchanging ideas and goods. The promotion of trade through countries enhances peace within the member states. Member states also promote peace in their countries through cultural practices. The union has controlled military crises through management in member countries (Bindi 67). In addition, the European Union strives to do away with civilian-military since these groups encourage war in most countries of the union.
The union invests much in security to ensure there is enough security that assures citizens of member states’ maintenance of peace (Artobolevyskiy 56). The union also encourages member states to recruit more police officers and military personnel to boost security. Member states are also encouraged to boost security within their borders. Most countries enhance security at the borders to ensure that there is control of products imported into the country.
The immigration offices in the respective countries are also responsible for establishing control over the number of foreigners in the country who do business or came as tourists. Some foreigners visit different countries for ill intentions and in return promote insecurity. The European Union has come up with strategies to protect and encourage military operations by investing in affected countries.
In addition, the European Union has invested in security in many member state countries by assisting in the recruitment process financially. The union provides assistance also by providing aid to affected countries by giving out both food and non-food items. When member countries face insecurity issues, the union assists by providing more re-enforcement to deal with insecurity issues. Member states are also encouraged to promote peace with other member countries by participating together in various activities.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the European Union is a partnership between European countries formed with the aim of ending the frequent and bloody wars between neighboring countries. The union has encouraged and initiated numerous activities to encourage peace in countries. European Union also has financially assisted member states to finance most projects that they initiate. Through the initiated strategies, the union strives to promote peace, love, and unity among states.
The European Union encourages member states to engage in bilateral trade. Through this practice, the European Union discourages war crimes by making the bond between the countries. Through trade, the countries settle on signed agreements that last for a particular period. In addition, the union also has campaigned for human rights among member states. Through this campaign, residents of member states can live without fear of intimidation by the governing bodies.
The European Union requires that all states who are aspiring to join the union must demonstrate that they support human rights in their countries. The union also offers numerous aids to member countries by assisting them financially through financing state-initiated projects. Cultural policies are also encouraged by the union since it promotes peace among members. The union encourages its members to understand some of its official languages so that there are no hindrances during communication.
European countries work together to fight crime and promote security defense policy. Political differences between member countries have reduced since most countries have signed treaties with the European Union. The European Union also introduced a single currency used with Europe and other member states. Through this practice, trade transactions are easier since the trade partners use the same currency. European countries also participate in activities initiated by the union to promote peace among its citizens. The European Union encourages regional policy that enables member states to perform trade transactions without major barriers by making sure that there are no many conditions while trading together.
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