Europe 1: Supranationalism and Devolution
Major geographic qualities/characteristics of Europe
A.
the changing face of Europe
1.
progressing toward supranationalism
2.
devolution - internal separatist movements
3.
dissolution of the USSR and break-up of eastern European bloc
B.
Europe’s aging population
Today: Europe is in a state of transition
I.
Supranationalism/globalization: collections of individual states with a common economic and/or political goal that diminishes to some extent individual state sovereignty in favor of the collective group interests
A.
European Union – EU (http://europa.eu/)
1.
28 current member nations: a.
4 giants: France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom b.
Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Austria, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Greece,
Finland, Sweden c.
Eastern European members: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia,
Hungary, Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta, Bulgaria, Romania, and Croatia d.
declined membership: Switzerland, Iceland, Norway
2.
history a.
Treaty of Rome 1957
1) Benelux, France, W. Germany, Italy
2) established EEC (European Economic Community) - Common Market b.
1973

1995 EU = 15 Western European members c.
Treaty of Nice

10 new central European members May 1, 2004 d.
Jan 2007: Bulgaria and Romania e.
Croatia 2013
3.
original goal: economic and social integration → “Four freedoms”
4.
current/future issues a.
defining Europe -- new members
1) economic issues
2) free movement of people
3) proposed members -- Turkey or not? b.
common currency – Euro
1) Jan 1, 2002 - euro entered circulation
2)
“eurozone” non-participants: UK, Sweden, Denmark + 9 of 12 new members
3) new members adopted: Slovenia and Slovakia + Estonia (1/1/11)
4) economic crisis and “euro bind” c.
political union
1) debate: global political counterforce to U.S. – “state united” v. “united states”
2) Treaty of Lisbon (Dec 2007) Irish vote no
3) revised Lisbon Treaty passed, effective 12/01/09
4)
“Brexit”: Britain and the future EU – “ever closer union”?
5.
future prospects a.
power of successful EU – econ/political presence!
1) ~508 million people in 28 member states (US pop = 322 million)
2) largest economy in world
Europe 1: Economic Integration and Devolution – p. 1 of 4

3) euro challenge to dollar b.
Euroskeptics fear Eurofication
1) Euroskeptic: person who is opposed to European integration or who is skeptical of the
EU and its aims
2) fear Eurofication – loss of cultural identity c.
historical antagonists d.
current tensions
1) debt crisis: PIIGS
2) influx of immigrants e.
central tension: national priorities v. collective interests
II.
Devolution -- increased tribalism
A.
regions within a state demand and gain political strength and growing autonomy at the expense of the central government
B.
examples of devolution
1.
former Yugoslavia: Balkan Peninsula a.
historical geographical context:
1) physical geography
2) relative location: zone of politico-geographical splintering and fracturing
3) birth of Yugoslavia
4) Tito
5) devolution of USSR b.
ethnic and religious divisions: Serbs (Eastern Orthodox), Croats (Roman Catholic), Muslim
Slavs c.
Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro d.
current issues:
1) Kosovo independence
2) further devolution e.
balkanization: the fragmentation of a region into smaller, often hostile units
2.
Czechoslovakia - cordial 1993 separation
3.
other European areas experiencing devolutionary forces a.
United Kingdom: Northern Ireland; Scotland; Wales
1) devolved Parliaments
2) Scottish referendum Sept 18, 2014 b.
Spain
1) Basque (Pyrenees)
2) Catalonia c.
Belgium
3) south: French speaking Walloons
4) north: Dutch speaking Flemish
4.
North America - could it happen here?
III.
2014 EU Parliamentary Elections
IV.
Europe’s future?!? Supranationalism or Devolution??!
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EU Role Playing
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Next Class: Europe Geography Bowl - Pulsipher Chapter 4
Europe 1: Economic Integration and Devolution – p. 2 of 4

Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Rep
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
EU -- Role Playing Exercise -- Background Information
General EU information: Pulsipher pp.210-216
Treaty of Nice: 10, mostly Eastern European, nations admitted to EU (2004).
[Subsequent Admissions: Romania, Bulgaria (2007); Croatia (2013)]
Treaty of Lisbon: Ratified 11/09; implemented 12/1/09.
The summary of the major components of the approved treaty are taken from t he EU publication: http://europa.eu/lisbon_treaty/glance/index_en.htm
More democratic and transparent
The treaty strengthens the role of The European Parliament which is directly elected by EU citizens.
A new Citizens Initiative means that one million people
— out of the EU’s population of 500 million — from a number of Member
States can petition the European Commission to bring forward new policy proposals.
The treaty explicitly recognizes for the first time the possibility for a member state to withdraw from the EU.
More efficient decision-making
Qualified majority voting, instead of unanimous decisions, will be extended: from 2014, decisions will need the support of 55 % of the
Member States, representing at least 65 % of the European population.
Rights and Values
The Lisbon Treaty preserves and reinforces the “four freedoms” and the political, economic and social freedom of EU citizens.
Solidarity between member sta tes: the Treaty spells out more clearly the EU’s role in the area of common foreign and security policy, including provisions for joint action in case of terrorist attack or natural or human-made disaster.
Europe as an actor on the global stage
A single High Representative in Foreign Affairs and Security Policy will negotiate for the EU with worldwide partners.
Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance (TSCG) (Fiscal Stability Treaty): Ratified 3/2/12; implemented 1/1/13
Signatories agree to implement a permanent national balanced budget rule by 12/31/13.
Annual structural deficit must not exceed 0.5% of GDP.
The U.K. and Czech Republic opted out of the TSCG.
GDP PPP Per
EU Member
Country
Population
Mid-2012
EU Member
Country
Population
Mid-2012
Source PRB 2012:
Capita, 2015 (US$)
IMF
Austria 8,500,000 $45,411 Italy 60,9000,000
GGDP PPP Per
Capita, 2015 (US$)
IMF
$34,445
11,100,000
7,200,000
4,273,700
1,200,000
10,500,000
5,600,000
1,300,000
5,400,000
63,600,000
81,800,000
11,800,000
9,900,000
4,700,000
$40,760 Latvia
$17,115 Lithuania
$20,392 Luxembourg
$27,986 Malta
$28,446 Netherlands
$44,325 Poland
$26,555 Portugal
$40,045 Romania
2,000,000
3,200,000
498,000
414,000
16,700,000
38,200,000
10,600,000
21,400,000
$39,813 Slovakia
$44,741 Slovenia
$25,753 Spain
5,400,000
2,100,000
46,200,000
$24,336 Sweden 9,500,000
$46,770 United Kingdom 63,200,000
$23,904
$26,700
$92,507
$31,717
$47,365
$24,429
$26,306
$19,397
$27,665
$29,359
$32,975
$44,695
$37,744
Europe 1: Economic Integration and Devolution – p. 3 of 4

(EU Eurostat) http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/graph
(EU Eurostat) http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/government-finance-statistics/statistics-illustrate
Europe 1: Economic Integration and Devolution – p. 4 of 4