To a great extent, the policies of the European Union and Parliament are
determinated by the Union’s values, objectives and principles. At the
beginning, European Union started as an Economic community. Therefore, economic
policy is a very important area in the European Union. On the other hand,
European Union tries protecting enviroment and nature assets and stop the
climate change. In addiction, European Union aims to protect wellbeing, security
and interest of its citizens.
The Union wishes to keep EU economy stable and competitive compared the
other conturies in the world. Efforts are made to prevent internal
disagreements. Every attempt is made to solve problems trough negotiations. EU
has got many types of policies.
The
European Union policy is the set of directives that the European Union decides
to implement within the framework of the treaties on various issues, such as
economy, health, agriculture, culture, environmental problems, foreign
relations and home affairs.
Why
EU has got policies? How they work? Before, answering these questions, we need
to know what policy is.
A policy is a deliberate system of
principles to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent and
is implemented as a procedure or protocol. Policies are generally adopted by a governance body. Policy
is a word or concept that is commonly bandied about and use with relative ease.
“Policy analysis draws on concepts from
a number of disciplines, as economics, political science, sociology, public
administration and history, and emerged as a subdiscipline in the 1960s, mainly
in the United States”.
Policy
analysis has intellectual roots in the political analysis of Harold Lasswell
(1940s) and Tony Downs (1960s) and in the development of cost benefit analysis,
in the 1950s, by scholars such as John Krutilla and Otto Eckstein. In the late
1960s, well funded by Lyndon Johnson's Great Society, it was extended from
military and water resource problems to health, education, poverty, etc.
The
European Union is fundamentally
different from other organizations that produce public policy. The European
Union affects our daily lives. National governments implement regulations and
laws which have been made at the EU level. The EU removes barriers between
Member States, and we all profit from the freedom of movement of people and
services in the EU. However, it is not always clear how these decisions are
made, what policies are in place or the consequences these have for citizens
and the EU as a whole. With much ongoing debate about reforming Europe, it is
now more important than ever to know more about EU policies.
Trade policy
There
are no customs duties between EU member states. Also, imports from developing
countries are duty-free or the duties are lowered. This is one way in which the
EU tries to eliminate poverty. The European Union holds an important position in
the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Trade
relations are maintained, in particular, with the Mediterranean countries,
Russia, the United States and China. The European Union seeks to promote the
trade relations and interests of its member states every way it can. Member
states may also sign bilateral trade agreements with other countries as long as
they are not in conflict with the EU laws and agreements.
The
EU has a common international trade policy, often referred to as the common
commercial policy. In other words, the EU acts as a single entity on
international trade and investment issues, with the European Commission
negotiating on behalf of its 28 Member States. Article 206 of the Treaty on the
functioning of the European Union (TFEU) specifies that the common commercial
policy should contribute to ‘the harmonious development of world trade, the
progressive abolition of restrictions on international trade and on foreign
direct investment, and the lowering of customs and other barriers’.
To strengthen its international trade relationships, the European Commission has highlighted its desire to complete the Doha round of multilateral trade negotiations launched by the World Trade Organization (WTO), but also to conclude a wide range of bilateral free trade agreements. Indeed, the EU is currently negotiating more than 20 separate trade agreements.
To strengthen its international trade relationships, the European Commission has highlighted its desire to complete the Doha round of multilateral trade negotiations launched by the World Trade Organization (WTO), but also to conclude a wide range of bilateral free trade agreements. Indeed, the EU is currently negotiating more than 20 separate trade agreements.
The
Eu is a major trading power. European manufacturing industry has broadly
maintained its share of GDP in volume in the face of globalization. There is a highly
innovative economy. Services account for 77% of GDP. The EFTA economy has
similar strengths and weaknesses. EFTA countries are the second most important
region for EU exports. EFTA is the third largest importing region.
A
competitive European Economy in an open world trade system organized by three
multilateral rules. First of them is ensuring that the European economy is open
to the world and competitive in foreign markets. (Secure real market access in
foreign countries). Second one is to support strong multilateral trading
system. (Most effective means of managing trade and enforcing rules). Finally, it
envisages promoting European values on democracy, rule of law, environment,
social rights.
European
Union Trade Policy has three dimensions such as: Multilateral, Bilateral/Regional,
Unilateral. Multilateral is mostly implemented in the framework of the WTO (the
most effective means of managing trade) aiming at promoting market access with
rules, in the context of effective global governance, including the promotion
of EU values, Environmental concerns, food safety, cultural diversity. In
addition to the WTO’s multilateral negotiations, the EU concludes bilateral
agreements with third countries and regional areas. This is the Bilateral/regional
dimension. The last one, Uniteral, is the EU implements uniteral measures as an
additional trade policy instrument in the interest of development and/or
political stability in line with the Union’s key political priorities, such as
General System of Preferences (GSP), Everything but Arms (EBA), Asymmetrical
Preferences. Member states usually stick to common line by the way, community
mandate from council. European Parliament only plays a limited role.
The
EU’s external trade policy contributes to Europe’s competitiveness in foreign
markets. Being an open economy, the EU aims at securing improved market access
for its industries, services and investments, as well as enforcing the rules of
free and fair trade (intellectual property rights, trade defense rules…). In
addition, EU Trade Policy initiatives maintain the WTO at the center of the
international trading system, propose a new generation of free trade
agreements, strengthen intellectual property enforcement, open up public
procurement abroad, reinforce the EU Market Access Strategy, a reflection
process on EC trade defense.
Trade
in goods and services make a significant contribution to increasing sustainable
growth and creating jobs for EU. More than 30 million jobs in the EU depend on
exports outside the EU. 90% of future global growth is predicted to happen
outside Europe’s borders. Hence trade is a vehicle for growth and a key
priority for the EU. Responsible EU Trade Policy is accompanied by a high level
of transparency and an effective communication with citizens about the benefits
and challenges of trade in open markets.
Trade
policy is an exclusive EU competence. This means the EU and not the member
states legislates on trade matters and concludes international trade
agreements. If the agreement covers topics of mixed responsibility, the Council
can conclude it only after ratification by all member states.
Conclusion
EU constitutes the largest trading bloc in the world accounting for more
than a fifth of global imports and exports. İt is the world largest exporter
and the second largest importer of goods. The EU is the largest economy in the world with a
GDP per head of 25 000 euros for its 500
million consumers. The EU ranks first in both inbound and outbound internatinal
investments. The EU is the top trading partner for 80 countries. The EU manages trade and investment relations with
non-EU countries through the EU’s trade
and investment policy. Trade policy is an exclusive power of the EU. Trade
Policy is set down in Article 207 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU.
European Union Trade Policy has got objectives such as create a global
system for fair and open trade, open up markets with key partner countries,
make sure others play by the rules, ensure trade is a force for sustainable
development. The European Parliament decides jointly with the Council on the
framework of European Union trade policy
through the ordinary legislative procedure. While the Commission maintains the
right of initiative, for its proposals to be formally adopted, agreement has to
be reached between the colegislators. International agreements are adopted by
the council, after the Parliament has given its consent.
ZEYNEP NAZ OZHAN
[artigo de opinião produzido no âmbito da unidade curricular “Economia Portuguesa e Europeia” do 3º ano do curso de Economia (1º ciclo) da EEG/UMinho]
ZEYNEP NAZ OZHAN
[artigo de opinião produzido no âmbito da unidade curricular “Economia Portuguesa e Europeia” do 3º ano do curso de Economia (1º ciclo) da EEG/UMinho]
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