The ever-changing landscape of European Union (EU) politics is complex and full of intricacies. With an ever-shifting set of focus issues, major developments and hot topics, it can be difficult to stay up to date on everything that is happening. In order to grasp the full scope of developments, understanding key insights and trends of EU politics is essential. In this article, we will offer insight into what is happening in EU politics and discuss analysis and outlooks on some of the EU’s major issues.
EU Politics
The European Union is an economic and political union comprising of 27 member states located primarily in Europe, and has evolved from a trade association known as the European Economic Community (EEC). The EU was established to promote economic and political cooperation, allow the free movement of persons, goods and services, and also to implement a common foreign policy amongst its member states. With an area of 409,000 km2, the EU is the largest single market in the world, with a population of almost 450 million people.
Political Institutions of the EU
The European Union’s governance structures are complex and divided into both supranational and inter-governmental politics.
Supranational institutions
• European Commission – the executive body of the EU, responsible for proposing legislation, implementing policy and the day-to-day running of the EU
• European Parliament – the legislative arm of the EU, elected by citizens of the EU every five years, responsible for passing laws on matters such as environmental protection, consumer rights, and the allocation of funding from the EU budget
• Council of the European Union – represents the governments of the EU member states and is directly responsible for proposing and passing legislation
• European Council – made up of national governments, the European Council meets to discuss priorities and major developments in the EU
• Court of Justice – the highest court in the EU, responsible for making sure that EU laws are interpreted and applied in the same way throughout the member states
Inter-governmental politics
• European Central Bank – oversee monetary policy within the Eurozone
• European Investment Bank – finance major investments and projects with the aim of promoting EU development
• Council of Europe – inter-governmental organisation which seeks to promote leadership and democracy
• Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – promote security, human rights, and dialogue between countries in the European region
Key Issues and Trends
With the ever-changing landscape of the European Union, there are numerous key issues and trends that are developing. Here are just a few of the issues that are currently at the forefront of the EU’s political agenda:
• Brexit – the UK’s pending withdrawal from the EU has been a key issue since June 2016, with negotiations still ongoing between the two sides.
• Refugee Crisis – the refugee crisis has been an ongoing issue for the EU since 2015 and has placed strain on many of its member states.
• Rule of Law Violations – there have been reports of the rule of law being violated in some EU member states, such as Hungary and Poland, leading to increasing tensions between state governments and the supranational institutions of the EU.
• Tech Regulation – there have been moves to regulate the tech industry by the EU, with the introduction of a Digital Services Tax (DST) allowing taxation of large tech companies.
• Trade Agreements – the EU has recently negotiated the EU-Japan free trade agreement, and is currently negotiating a free trade agreement with the UK.
Analysis of Key Issues and Trends
The increasing complexity and intricacy of the EU’s politics have made it difficult to stay up to date on all of the issues and trends taking place within the Union. In order to gain a better understanding of what is happening in EU politics and how it will affect the future development of the Union, let’s take a closer look at some of the issues outlined above.
Brexit
The UK officially left the European Union on the 31st of January 2020, after the British people voted to leave in the EU referendum back in June 2016. Since then, negotiations between the UK and the EU have been ongoing to secure a trade agreement between the two sides. Although a trade agreement has been made, many people are still uncertain as to how Brexit will affect the EU as a whole and its relationship with the UK.
One of the biggest concerns is the potential impact on the economy within the EU. As the UK is one of the largest economies in the EU, Brexit could cause major disruptions to the single market and disrupt trade and investment between the two sides. Additionally, the UK’s withdrawal from the EU has been seen as a loss of ‘soft power’ for the Union, as the UK was an influential player in foreign and security policy matters, who could now be sidelined if trade negotiations fail.
Refugee Crisis
Since 2015, the EU has been facing an unprecedented refugee crisis, with millions of people fleeing the conflict in the Middle East and North Africa towards European countries. This has put immense pressure on EU member states, who have had to manage the influx of refugees and subsequently, provide aid, shelter and resources to support those in need.
The EU has attempted to tackle the refugee crisis by establishing a resettlement plan, which seeks to relocate refugees to safe and stable countries. This plan, however, has come under fire as some countries have refused to take in refugees and accused the EU of not ‘sharing the burden’ of dealing with the crisis. Additionally, despite the EU’s attempts at helping, there have been reports of human rights violations and mistreatment of refugees in some countries.
Rule of Law Violations
The increasing move towards authoritarianism in some EU member states has been a matter of concern for the Union. This is especially true for states such as Hungary and Poland, who have been accused of violating the rule of law and implementing far-right policies. This has caused tensions between the member states and the supranational institutions of the EU, which has found it difficult to bring about change.
The domestic policies of some EU member states have been widely criticised by the European Commission, and the potential infringement of EU law has been subject to legal action. The recent Polish and Hungarian veto threat of the EU budget is a clear example of the tensions between member states and the supranational institutions of the EU.
Tech Regulation
In order to regulate the tech industry within the EU, the European Commission has unveiled plans to introduce a Digital Services Tax (DST). This tax seeks to target large tech companies such as Google, Amazon and Facebook and will see them taxed based on their revenue. This was seen as an attempt to discourage tech giants from avoiding taxes, as well as providing a source of funds for the EU.
In response to the DST, the US government has threatened to retaliate with tariffs on European goods. This has created a stand-off between the EU and the US, and the introduction of the DST has the potential to disrupt trade relationships between the two sides.
Trade Agreements
The EU has recently signed a trade agreement with Japan that seeks to liberalise trade and investments between the two sides. This agreement is the result of two and a half years of negotiations and opens up new opportunities for both sides, such as a reduction in tariffs and easier access to markets.
The EU is also currently negotiating with the UK a free trade agreement, which both sides hope to have in place before the end of the transition period at the end of 2020. The impact of Brexit, however, could mean that negotiations will become increasingly difficult and push back the finalisation of the deal.
Outlook
The political landscape of the European Union is ever-changing, with new issues and trends constantly coming to the forefront. With the pending UK withdrawal from the EU, the refugee crisis, rule of law violations, tech regulation, and new trade agreements, the EU has its hands full. In the future, it is likely that the EU will continue to face complex challenges and intricate developments, but it is also likely that the Union will persist and strive for a more stable and prosperous future for all its member states and citizens.
The political landscape of the European Union is vast, intricate and ever-changing. With the pending UK withdrawal from the EU, the refugee crisis, rule of law violations, tech regulation, and negotiations of new trade agreements, the EU is faced with a wide array of issues to tackle. In order to gain a better understanding of the EU’s current and future outlook, understanding key issues and trends of EU politics is essential. In this article, we have discussed some of the major issues and trends that the EU is facing and offered analysis of the key points. Ultimately, the EU is faced with numerous challenges, but through cooperation, utmost dedication and diligence, it is likely that the Union will continue to develop and thrive in the future.