The Development of the Political and Economic Integration of the EU Free Essay Example, 3250 words

The people of the EU of 15 states as of 2003 view however its political system as remote from them, difficult to understand, and poorly democratic (Milward, 2005, p. The citizens of member-states, when asked, differ between conveying a fragile commitment to the EU and expressing a considerable extent of aversion towards it. Basically, economic integration usually fulfils political goals. Europe is a perfect example. The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC) have been established for political purposes. The eastern expansion of the EU is the outcome of a political reversal of the states aspiring to become members of the EU. The collapse of the communist regime allowed, and pushed, the states involved to modify their economic and political structure completely (Cini, 2007). Integration into the European Union was appealing not merely due to market access, but also due to financial assistance and investments from the EU. More significantly, integration is associated with a free enterprise, economic liberalisation, human rights, and democratic structures (Cini, 2007). The currently founded Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) represents the greatest development in the economic integration process in Europe. We will write a custom essay sample on The Development of the Political and Economic Integration of the EU or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now This is a landmark and will, simultaneously, be a channel for political integration. Europe as a model was consistently a political agenda motivated by political choices and objectives (Milward, 2005). Yet, after initial obstacles on the political sphere, the attention shifted to economic issues. In the end, economic integration has triumphed in strengthening the unity among European states and has therefore also realised its broader political objective. Given the above considerations, this essay tries to answer the question, to what extent is the European Union economically and politically integrated? An analysis of the historical development of the political and economic integration of the EU is undertaken in order to determine the growth, or, possibly decline, of the processes of the political and economic integration of the EU.