n. n. 14 Is. 16. n. 1m. 18. 18. 24 Europe — table of contents European identity, politics and institutions Whats Earope? (The Guardian, Dec. 17,2004) What i Europe? (A. Teandsfylidou and R. Gropas, 2022) Instnions ofthe European Union The European Union: A History and Overview ihaughto.com, March 17,2017) The 6% Club (The Boonomis,anuary 7, 2023) Reading the Cais (The Economist, Nov. 16,2019) ‘Sources and Scope of Earopean Union Law (European Piamen!) In Praise of Furo-ibberoh (The Economist, Nvernber 12,2022) Cash and Cary Vores? (The Economist, December 17,2022) [EU Corruption Scandal (BBC News, December 13,2022) J. The Reverse Luxembourg (The Economist, September 24,2022) Social trends and issues {Pm Par ofthe Bit. So Why I'm I Cheering forthe Populist Right? (The Spectator, Dee. 10,2016) Poland accuses the EU of “atacking our sovereignty”... The Mail Online, Dee. 22,2021) ‘Travels ia Euoland Wih Ea Balls... (The Evening Standard, on. 23, 2020) ‘Should Europe Wor? (The Rconomist, September 24,202) Food of the Frauds (The Zonamist, December 24,2022) Cancel Sculpture (The Economist, December 10,2022) Economie issues ‘Bad Loans’ of Banks Risking Cet Cuneh, Warns European Commission (The Guardian, Dec. 16,202) Unite States, Divided Burpe (he Economist, De. 3,2022) Facer the Baricades! (The Benoni, October 22,2022) ‘Aut Wiederchen, Pat (The Bronomist,Octaber 1, 2022) lly and Europe: Crying Out for Reform (The Economist. December 10,2022) Wanted: an Haan Thatcher (The Economist, December 10,2022) [Nuclear Power: the Fench Exception (The Economist, December 17,2022) Refugee crises and the war in Ukraine Refuges Ara’ the Problem: Europe's Icy Crisis Is. (The Guardian, Ot. 31,2016) “The Refuge ‘Css’ Show Europe's Worst Side tthe World (Te Guardian, fn, 1, 2020) ‘sine: Smart Warfare (The Economist, De. 10,2022) Zeleaskiy invokes Fight apanst Nazi Germany in Speech o US Congress (The Guardian, Deo.2,2022) Russia and Ukraine: Baloney Ballots (The Economist, October 1,2022) ‘The Winter War (The Economist, December 17,2022) France: War Footing (The Economist November 12,2022) ‘Britain and the EU: an ongoing problem From Tass wo Vien Here's What sin the Brest Deal (The Guar, Dee. 24,2020) The End of Magical Thinking (Me Economist Jan.7,2023) ‘The Night-vatchman Welfare Stat (The Ezomomist, November 12,2022) uropean Union Member States (map) pl p2 Ps Pp? pid p. pid pts pn pis p20 pau pe pe p24 9.25 p28 pn pe v.29 pal p32 p33 p.3s p36 pe p39 p40 pal pas P46 paWhat is Europe? James isc, Tho Guaraan, December 17, 204 It was Hemy Kissinger who, as US Secretary of State, most famously ‘expressed the non-Europeen clplomat'sustaion with the unbearable lightness of Europe's being when he asked: "If | want to call Europe, who do | call” H Kissinger was confused in the 1970s, when the forerunner ofthe European Union had a dozen momber counties, what vould he say now, when the EU has grown to 25 dvorse states, with five more wating in the wings and atleast anther 14 snifing around the periphery? American uncertainty and scepticism about what Europe realy is hasnt prevented Washington puting pressure on the EU to reward this or that country by letting them join the European club of rich, democratic nations. Most recenl, it has been lobbying for Tukey to be alowed to come inside. America wanting Europe todo something isnot by se, of course, 2 suficint reason for Europe refusing to do it. But as European loaders fish their debate today over vhether to let Turkey stat fing out the EU application form (probably 16-year process), there has never been more uncertainty and doubt within the clubhouse over what kind of Europe a Europe that ether excludes or includes Turkey wil be. Either ccice provokes avkward questions. If not Tukey, why Bosra, ‘why Albania? if Tukey, why rot Ukrins? Why nt Israel? Wry ne, a8 ‘Guarian columnist Tnothy Garon Ash halsrously asked a couple of years ago, Tukey neighbour aq? The question of what Kind of ently we are bulking when we enlaige the EU today so dwarfs the question of wheter Brian adopls the euro that itis ime to rephrase Kissinger remark. cal myself European, what ar caling myst"? ‘The word "Europa" has been around for along time. Mythology apart, ‘one interpretaon is thatthe eariy Greeks used the word, which may have meant ‘mainland’, to refer to the forbidding, coll, mounéainous, batbarian expanses which lay to the north, west and east of ther archipelagc heartand. ‘The ancient Romans did not think of themselves, or cal themselves, "European", Prosentday romantics may lke to think of the Roman ‘empire as the precursor of Europoan boundaries and European values, In fact, the Romans considered the Celts in the west, the Germans in the north and the Slavs inthe east fo be barbarians, outsiders, Their ‘empite was a colar around the Mediterranean, which they calod Our ‘Seai Syria, Palestine and Libya were as much a par of their imperium ‘2s Gaul or Britannia. But the comploxty of the "What is Europe?" ‘rgumentis such thatthe romantics arent al wrong, iver, Roman lav, literature, language and philosophy do press close round the taproots of European culture, however thats defined, Versions of the geographical term "Europe" regularly crapped up in eatly maps, such as the medieval genre known as "TRO", which showed a T-shaped world of three cannents - Europe, ica and Asia - vith Jerusalem at the cente of the T, But the wider word in which the ancestors of present-day EU cizens ved was defined fr them by thle faith: was Christendom fest. Winsion Church, who, tothe annoyance of Conservative eurosceptics today, was an erly and fervent enthusiast of European union, believed thatthe father ofthe modern European idea was Henry Navare, king of France. At the beginning ofthe 17th century, Churchl said in speech in 1948, Henry “laboured to setup a permanent commie representing the 15 .. leading Christian states of Europe. This body was to act as an arpivator on all questions concerning reigious confit, national frontiers, intemal disturbance, and common action against any danger ‘om the East, which in those days meant the Turks" Im sory, did you say Turks, Sir Winston? Michael Hetfeman, a geography professor at Nottingham University and author of The Meaning of Europe, argues that the defining moment came later, withthe Trealy of Westphal, in 1648. “Europe really takes ‘2 modem form, as a cleaty defined cartograpical entity, quite recon, in the course ofthe 18th century - as an area where a balance of power between nation states exss,* he said "The Trealy of Westphalia was the fst atempl to try to regulate relations between nation states, wih recognised boundaries, in a chlised way" nn ee eee eee E_E_— =<“ Ul ‘Sadly, these ciiisod natons continued to ty to tear aachcine's armies to sheds. Hetfoman’s bleak assessment is that when the afompt to define Europe 28 a place where cvlisod tings and dukes sat down and setled ther boundary aispules in a gentlemanly way faled, scholars, reached for their maps as a substitute. The logic of "We havo made a Civisaton, and called it Europe" gave way fo "We are in a map-shape called "Europe, and thorefoe we are cilied.” “Often, the attempt fo try to done Europe in pretty crude gecgraphical terms, as a feature on the map, was simply an act of despa, when t was demonstrated that the Wesiphala model doserit work, and the sates were constantly going to war" said Hetfaman, When the late geographer Bil Parker wrote is oft-cted paper Europe: How Far? in 41960, talking of a "idel Europe" whose easter borders ebbed and flowed according to the citera you happened to be using, the Iron Curtain and a colonial, us-and-them atitude towards the Islamic world far harsher than today's made the defniion of Europe's boundaries, academic. Now, whether because they associate it with prosperity, wih national or personel secur, or wih ideals of tolerance and inte foecom, paliens ard peoples all ovr te east and sou ee staring fo ate atthe spokes cf the EU's insti twas suprising for Euoca nthe 160s when Russia dropped tnt that mgt conser applying to sin; disconcaring a couple of yoars ogo when the King of Woreoo 2skod ths county could become a member In a speech two years ago in Brussels, the then president of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, set out the almost imperial mensions of the lemma. "Each enlargement brings us new neighbours,” he sai. “inthe past many ofthese neighbours ended up becoming candidates for accession themselves. “Ido not deny that this process has worked vaty wal. But we cannot go, on enlarging forever. We cannot water down the Europoan polio Project and tum the European Union into just a free trade area on @ continental scale" In the debata Prodi calod for about tho limits of Europe, tho French - who have wanted the EU to be someting greater ‘than the economic sum ofits pats, something you could foo! as wel 2s, use, since Vielor Hugo caled for a United States of Europe - have sounded the most brassy notes. ‘This emotional attachment fo some kind of common European soul produces contradictory outbursts. Vary Giscard @Estaing, the former French president and author of the EU draft constituton, said the admission of Turkey would be “the end of te European Unio. He sid Turkey had "a different cutue, a diferent approach, a dierent way of He .. its capital is notin Europe, 95% of is population Ive ouside Europe. tis nota European country." ‘The former French france minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn, by contrast, amplifed De Gaule’s call for one Europe fom the Alantic to the Urals and urged the membership not just of Turkey but of the counties ofthe Maghreb. "Europe's capacity to conduct daiogues with China, india and America depends on the extent to which ican be & union of al teritries fom the icebergs ofthe Artic tothe sand dunes of he Sahera, vit the Mediterranean in thir midst” he said ‘The much-derded preamble to Europe's woul-be consttuton is vaguo ‘enough not to exclude any couniy from joining one day. It tks about Europe being "a special tea of human hope" embarked on a “great venture’, bu also speaks, speciialy, about Europe being the originator ofthe idea of human rights Cariously, tis inthis one area that a much broader ea of Europe has _eady come into beng in very concrete way. iis ateady possble {or people lving in Russia - even if they lv on te border wth China, or on be eige ofthe Sea of Japan (or Turkey), even ifthe vlogs look towards aq - to share wih people in Hemel Hempstead or “Torremolinos he right to appeal fo the European Cour of Huran Fights In Strasbourg Intis 1948 speech, Church spoke enthusiastcaly of movernent for European Uniy “in the cenve of our movement he said, ‘stands the iva ofa Charter of Human Rights, quarded by foedom and sustcined bylaw 4.What is Europe? “A When asked the question ‘What is Europe?” each one of us would probably give a different answer, depending on where we are from, ‘S” where we live, or even our age. Most of us would assume that there is an absolute truth; a definitive answer to be given. We would argue on the criteria or the historical evidence and AO legacy on which this or that definition of Europe could or should rest. To answer the question, some of us may refer to public opinion surveys that try to measure feelings of belonging AS and identity. Others may draw on historical works to describe the legacy of Europe or quote the works of famous European thinkers. Others still may privilege a politicised and 2© ideological definition of Europe. More often than not, in such contemporary discussions, most would conflate the term ‘Europe’ __with that of the European Union 2S (BU). Defining Europe has been a perpetual quest. Throughout the centuries there have been regular and recurring attempts to define what Europe is, where its limits lie, and 20 what it is aiming towards through the much too often repeated question of ‘Quo Vadis Europa?’ Questioning what Europe is has also reflected a questioning of what late modernity is, 3S" and how we orient ourselves towards the future (Bauman 2004; Delanty 2013). In 1987, political scientist Edgar Morin wrote that if Europe is ___ law, itis also force; if it is democracy 4O it is also oppression; if it is spirituality, it is also materiality; if it 2 is moderation, it is also hubris and excess; if it is reason, it is also myth, even in the very idea of reason. So, why is defining Europe an important 4S question still today? Or rather, even more so today? We consider it is important to define, or rather revisit and explore, our understandings of Europe for three SD reasons. First, to question the different facets that the concept of Europe has taken on in different contexts in history in order to reveal its internal diversity, not just its SC” diachronic evolution. We wish to engage in a critical reading of the different perspectives on Europe: who decides what Europe is and what have been the competing hegemonic GO discourses in different points and places in time? Second, to understand why and how ‘Europe’ has become so present in political narratives and in all aspects of societal, cultural, GS economic, commercial, and institutional life across all countries of the wider European continent, regardless of their membership of the BU. And third, to better understand “KO the sort of role ‘Europe’ still plays in the global arena in spite of its shrinking economic and demographic weight. Unpacking what Europe is, and what it has been in different times “+S and for different stakeholders, may help define what it can be in the current dynamic global context, characterised by __ increased interdependency, but also uncertainty SU (as the last pandemic has taught us), as well as volatility, as newgeopolitical and economic powers are _emerging and authoritarian populism. SS appears to increase its appeal globally. [...] Defining ‘Europe’ seems to be an ongoing story, an incessant effort to revisit the core existentialist JQ questions of what comprises a definition of Europe. Throughout the course of the continent’s history, politicians, political _ elites, academics, and thinkers have been OS” tackling and returning to these questions in elaborate, critical, as well as in simplistic, populist ways. In this book, we highlight the historical and ambivalent character of ACO the term, and offer alternative views of Europe by putting current developments into perspective. We adopt a critical viewpoint with regard to social and political developments ACS in Europe today and more generally in the post-World War II period. This book is distinctively European in that it looks wider and deeper into the _, origins, evolution, and future of AXO Burope on a variety of levels and from an interdisciplinary point of view. We argue that there can be no single definition of Europe. The dynamic nature of what Europe AAS represents is not new, nor is it a trait particular to the more recent phase of European history, namely, the European Union. Therefore, we take the position that Europe is a concept Ac that becomes meaningful in relation to its specific historical context. Strath Mikael af Malmborg and Bo Strath (2002) have argued that Europe is the invention of nation- \2S states. By this provocative statement = they wanted to highlight that there are different national answers to the “What is Europe?” question, but also that Europe is essentially a constructed notion. Strath, like A30 Delanty (1995) among other well- known contemporary historians and sociologists, points to the diverse meanings that Europe has assumed in history. They pay, however, less 435 attention to the fact that Europe may have multiple meanings also synchronically. At a given point in time, depending on the perspective we adopt and the situation in which Ato we find ourselves, Europe may Tepresent very different things to different people. Thus, maybe we should speak of many Europes rather than of just one. Not only has the 14S definition of Europe varied across the past centuries and even decades, but its content and meaning also fluctuates in relation to the different realms of social life. Delanty and 4S Rumford (2005) argue that Europe has become a dimension that cannot be ignored at either the societal or the political level. We would rather say that there are different Europes ASS operating in various social realms: there is a Europe in culture or something called ‘a European civilisation’ (even if its meaning is highly contested); there is a Europe in-1écy politics and social policy; there is also a Europe in history, and there are (geopolitical as well as intemal, non- territorial) boundaries to Europe that are constantly shifting and changing. From a conceptual viewpoint, there is no need — and it is not possible either — to define a single Burope, drawing AStogether all these meanings and only a critical review but also a N%O perspectives into a single container. synthesis of what Europe is—andalso From an ideological viewpoint —_of what it could be nowadays. Aw though, it is possible to provide not Anna Triandafyllidou and Ruby Gropas, What is Europe?, 2" edition, London: Routledge, 2022.Institutions of the European Union F Council of the European European Parliament European Council European Union Gee cheats oeeone - Legislative - - Executive - + acts together with the + ‘summitofthe Heads + actstogether with + is the Council as a of Government and the Parliament as a government” legislature of thePresident of legislature + submits proposals + shares with the the European + exerts together with for new legislation Council the budgetary Commission, in the Parliament the to the Parliament ‘power and decides in presence of the High budgetary power and to the Council the last instance on Representative of the» ensures + implements EU thegeneral budget of Union for Foreign coordination of the policy and the EU Affairs and Security broad economic administers the + exerts the democratic Policy and chaired and social policy budget control over EU by the President of and sets out + ensures institutions including ie European Buidelines for compliance the European Council the Common with EU ‘Commission and + gives the necessary Foreign and Jaw ("guardian of appoints the impetus for the Secusity the treaties") Commission members development and sets Policy(CFSP) * negotiates + based and plenary ‘out general + conclude internatio international sessions in objectives and nal agreements treaties Strasbourg, General priorities + based in Brussels + based in Brussels Secretariat in + will not legislate Luxembourg, + based in Brussels primarily meets in Brussels ati ee a oe European Court of Auditors Enropean Central Bank Saalciaty ~ Financial auditor - - Monetary executive (central bank) - + ensure uniformity of * examines the proper use + —_forms together with the interpretation of European of revenue and expenditure of national central aw the EU institutions banksthe European System of * has the power to decide ‘+ based in Luxembourg Central Banks and thereby legal disputes between EU determining the monetary member states, EU Policy of the BU institutions, businesses and + ensures price stability in individuals the eurozone by controlling + based in Luxembourg the money supply + based in Frankfurt aeCompetences EU member states retain all powers not explicitly handed to the European Union. In some areas the EU enjoys exclusive competence. These are areas in which member states have renounced any capacity to enact legislation, In other areas the EU and its member states share the competence to legislate. While both can legislate, member states can only legislate to the extent to which the EU has not. In other policy areas the EU can only co-ordinate, support and supplement member state action but cannot enact legislation with the aim of harmonising national laws. That a particular policy area falls into a certain category of competence is not necessarily indicative of what legislative procedure is used for enacting legislation within that policy area. Different legislative procedures are used within the same category of competence, and even with the same policy area. The distribution of competences in various policy areas between Member States and the Union is divided in the following three categories: As outlined in Title | of Part | of the consolidated : aty on the Functioning, Exclusive competence Shared competence Supporting competence "The Union has exclusive "Member States cannot "Union exercise of "The Union can competence ta make exercise competence in. competence shall not__—_carry out actions directives and conclude areas where the Union has result inMember States to support, International done so.” being prevented from coordinate or agreements when exercising theirs in"... supplement provided for inaUnion “ ‘he imternal market Member States’ legislative act" ° ——_socialpolicy,forthe * research, Veieacien aspects defined in this technological = the customs ‘Treaty development * the union . ‘economic, social and and (outer) space protection and + theestablishing territorialcohesion * ~—_development improvement ‘ofthecompetition . agriculture and fish cooperation, of human fulesnecessary for ries, excluding the humanitarian aid health the functioning of coesstyation ofmarine : dustry theinternalmarket iological resources. “THe Unloncoordinates + monetarypolicy + environment Member se ine are for the Member : ee een + education, Seats whose ae Supplemental others yout sport an Gurrency isthe euro, transport SOR BES Ne d vocational + the conservation i cov eee eee training + trans-European B of marine biological networks: : coordination of + civil Tesources under 4 bierey ‘economic, protection the soon and duration of the delegation of power are defined in the legislative act, as are anyurgent procedures, where applicable. in addition, the legislator lays down the AO conditions to which the delegation is subject, which may be the authority to revoke the delegation or the right 10 express an ‘objection. Implementing acts are generally adopted by ACS the Commission, which is competent to do so in cases where uniform conditions for implementing legally binding acts are needed. Implementing acts are a matter for the Council only in specific cases which are “© duly justified and in areas of common foreign and security policy. Where a basic act is adopted under the ordinary legislative procedure, the European Parliament or the Council may at any time indicate to the AAS Commission that, in its view, a draft implementing act goes beyond the implementing powers provided for in the basic act. In this case, the Commission must revise the draft act in question. [...] AZ2 Under Amici 14(1) TEU: “The European Parliament shall, jointly with the Council, exercise legislative (via the ‘ordinary legislative procedure’) and budgetary (via a special legislative procedure under AZ” Article 314 TFEU) functions’. Parliament is seeking to simplify the legislative process, improve the drafting quality of legal texts and ensure that mote effective penalties are imposed on Member States that fal to with Union law. The Commission's Annual 132 Working and Legislative Programme presents the major political priorities of the Commission and identifies concrete actions, either legislative or non-egislative, that translate these priorities into operational APS” terms. Parliament plays a genuine role in creating new laws, since it examines the ‘Commission’s Annual Programme of Work ad sa | ch laws it would lke to S02 jy... Having gained tegal personality, the Union can conclude intemational agreements, (Anicle 216-217 TFEU). Any agreement concluded in the field of the common commercial policy and in all fields whose +S" policies fall under the ordinary legislative Procedure require the consent of the European Parliament (Article 218(6)(a) TFEU). For example, Parliament gave its consent on 28 April 2021 to the EU-UK Trade SO ‘and Cooperation Agreement. On other occasions, Parliament had already shown ‘that it will not hesitate to use its veto if it has serious concems. For example, it rejected the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade ASS Agreement (ACTA) in 2012. Source: “Fact Sheets on the European Union”, European Parliament M