Klkl

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Klkl
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Is the European Union an empire?

• gt The EU is an empire enlarged by
• negotiation and consent
• gt The EU is an empire without an emperor
• gt The EU is an empire governed by
• indirect rule

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What did European integration bring?

• gt Cooperation instead of conflict Europe a
• global player.
• gt Prosperity through free markets and free
• trade
• gt Free space to travel at affordable prices
• gt Monetary stability through the Euro

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What does the EU lack?

• gt Connection to the people. Public view is
• hostile or distant
• gt EU Brussels is a monster, a behemoth
• gt Top EU leaders are unelected Mandarins
• call the shots
• gt EU is felt as a bureaucratic occupation
• force

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Constitution did the wrong thing

• gt to put the EU on a federal footing
• gt Political elite far ahead public did not
• follow
• gt Constitution strengthened perception
• of imperialist empire
• gt Constitution turned EU into threat to
• national identity

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New Treaty, does it improve?

• gt Does the text re-connect European
• integration to the people? (not a
• constitution, but unreadable and elusive)
• gt Does the Treaty streamline the institutional
• framework? (size of Commission,
• European Parliament, duplicity, agencies)
• gt Is mission of EU concentrated on limited
• policy-areas? (CAP, Regional Policy,
• Energy Policy, Immigration Policy)

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Conclusion

• gt Bureaucratic machinery streamlining
• too slow mission unfocused
• gt Enlargement enlarge economic
• concept EU, not EU itself.
• gt Estrangement from people some
• leading positions should be elected, like EU
  President, Commission President and
  Commissioners.

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Thank you!