European Union training course The European Union history: why and how 10 June 2015 Sergio Andreis, Lunaria Didim

Ε ὐ ρώπη

A peaceful Europe – the beginnings of cooperation The ‘Swinging Sixties’ – a period of economic growth

A growing Community – the first Enlargement The changing face of Europe - the fall of the Berlin Wall

A Europe without frontiers

2000 – 2009 Further expansion 2010 – today A decade of opportunities and challenges 21

Five open issues 1. National over EU interests: resulting in democratic gaps, the overwhelming power in decision-making by financial interests - with London as largest world financial market and growing economic and social inequalities. 2. Governance: Germany unable – for its historic past – to take on the responsibilities deriving from its being the strongest EU economy, but too small, alone, to be competitive at the global level. 3. Trust: declining trust in the EU institutions by the EU citizens. 4. The identity question: the EU still did not come to terms with its Mediterranean / Asian roots, with the consequent current Euromed dialogue deadlock, including Turkey's accession negotiations. 5. Credibility: as, within the EU, national interests prevail over the EU ones, the EU is a growingly weak actor on the world scene.

Thank you very much for your attention !