The EU: Which union we want?

United Kingdom.

Europe Arena 1: “European Union: Should it be an union of Nations or an union of People?”

The EU: Which union we want?

Most people in Europe nowadays can travel between EU member states without needing a visa. They can also assert the right to work anywhere in the Union without work permits. As there is a lot of distinctions between unions of people and nations, which one should the EU fit into?

It easily fits into a union of nations, as the member states are nations with their own unique flavours of culture, histories and identities. But it could also become a union of people, as there are various initiatives to bring people together, such as the Erasmus project for international students. Another major factor in the EU being a people’s union is the European Social Fund, which covers a wide range of investments and projects. Although it is not a part of the EU, the Eurovision Song Contest also brings together people from Europe for several evenings of songs and dancing.

One could go even deeper and assume the EU to be a manifestation of a continent united in certain goals. With a few exceptions the member states relatively share most of the same laws. Nearly all member states use the same currency (€), making trade a lot easier in some cases.

As a whole the EU is a union of nations, bound together by a common law and system of values in the continent. If one were to look deeper into this union, it can also represent a vast group of people with the same aims.

By Martin A., United Kigdom
20 years old