E.U. Impossible

The E.U. was founded in 1993 with only 6 member countries and has since grown to 27. Its motto “United in Diversity” brings about ideas of an idyllic Europe where we set aside our differences and work together in peace and harmony. We would then, in a way, become like the United States of America, a huge country with the same basic laws which don’t vary very much from state to state. Although this is possible, it is not in the utopian way that one would imagine.

Being binational, I myself have travelled around Europe a lot, especially in the south-east, and have seen the vast differences from neighbouring countries as well as those far apart. I can, therefore, state with knowledge that the Europe will never be united in such a way. Each country has its own laws, customs, religion(s) and, indeed, ways of life. To bring them all together under the same laws and ultimate government is like trying to put 27 different building blocks through the same triangular hole. Many people and groups are a) too set in their ways to adapt to the E.U. regulations and/or b) don’t want to become part of it for political, economic and military reasons. Austria, for example, had an ongoing discussion with the E.U. because they would lose their neutrality which they have had since WWII.

This brings me on to my second point: war. A fight or even just a rivalry between two member countries can cause huge complications. Making all countries agree not to wage war with one another and opening borders is problematic. Turkey and Greece for example, would be faced with a problem because the Greek Orthodox doesn’t like the Muslim Turks coming into their country so easily and possibly disturbing their religious system.

The E.U. could become a group of autonomous, separate countries working and fighting together and trading freely with one another but for the reasons I have just stated, placing them all under the same laws and regulations is, at least for the foreseeable future, impossible.