... when life as we know it will change.
Well, not really, but it's still a big event yo!
tonight, at midnight, the EU will gain 10 new members; thereby becoming a union of states with a population of roughly twice the population of the USA, and the greatest and most important trade bloc in the world.
Not everybody's too happy about it tho'. Here's what some of them say:
* It all happened too fast. Instead of deepening out the existing EU (as in: making the bonds between the nations stronger and the entire thing more stable); they chose to expand first. One of the dangers of this is that it might threaten the stability in the EU, and might even lead to its downfall. After all, we are talking here about TEN nations, who each have their own desires and needs, and each have their own view of where the EU should go. And of course, each nation will most likely look after itself first, just like most of the EU nations are doing right now, which might lead to added chaos.
* The EU is importing problems. Just think of the tensions between Russia and the Baltic nations (where the Russian minority is being 'oppressed': take Latvia (I think) for example; where about 40% of the population is Russian, yet Russian isn't accepted as a national language...); the tension between Greeks and Turkish on Cyprus (which might cause problems in the long run, mainly with Turkey. As you might remember, Turkey is a candidate to join the EU. This means that Cyprus might (and most likely will) use its veto when the decision of wether or not to allow Turkey should be allowed will be taken...).
* It might spell out disaster for the industry of the existing EU-states. Lost of companies have moved their factories to the former East-Bloc nations already, where wages are much lower. When free passage of capital and goods between the western states and the new members becomes possible, this phenomena might very well become bigger.
* It will drain a lot of resources from the richer, western states. Take Poland for example, a country with lots of farmland. The Polish government is demanding the same amount of subsidies for farmers there as in the rest of the EU.
The problem is, that there really are a LOT of farmers in Poland, which could cost billions upon billions for the EU. Add to that that wages and prices in Poland are lower than in the rest of the EU, and that they consequently don't need as much money to run a farm, and you've got yourself an argument.
* And so on, and so on.
I personally think that, although the expansion might indeed have negative effects in the short term, it will cause us all benefit in the long run...
Thoughts?
Well, not really, but it's still a big event yo!
tonight, at midnight, the EU will gain 10 new members; thereby becoming a union of states with a population of roughly twice the population of the USA, and the greatest and most important trade bloc in the world.
Not everybody's too happy about it tho'. Here's what some of them say:
* It all happened too fast. Instead of deepening out the existing EU (as in: making the bonds between the nations stronger and the entire thing more stable); they chose to expand first. One of the dangers of this is that it might threaten the stability in the EU, and might even lead to its downfall. After all, we are talking here about TEN nations, who each have their own desires and needs, and each have their own view of where the EU should go. And of course, each nation will most likely look after itself first, just like most of the EU nations are doing right now, which might lead to added chaos.
* The EU is importing problems. Just think of the tensions between Russia and the Baltic nations (where the Russian minority is being 'oppressed': take Latvia (I think) for example; where about 40% of the population is Russian, yet Russian isn't accepted as a national language...); the tension between Greeks and Turkish on Cyprus (which might cause problems in the long run, mainly with Turkey. As you might remember, Turkey is a candidate to join the EU. This means that Cyprus might (and most likely will) use its veto when the decision of wether or not to allow Turkey should be allowed will be taken...).
* It might spell out disaster for the industry of the existing EU-states. Lost of companies have moved their factories to the former East-Bloc nations already, where wages are much lower. When free passage of capital and goods between the western states and the new members becomes possible, this phenomena might very well become bigger.
* It will drain a lot of resources from the richer, western states. Take Poland for example, a country with lots of farmland. The Polish government is demanding the same amount of subsidies for farmers there as in the rest of the EU.
The problem is, that there really are a LOT of farmers in Poland, which could cost billions upon billions for the EU. Add to that that wages and prices in Poland are lower than in the rest of the EU, and that they consequently don't need as much money to run a farm, and you've got yourself an argument.
* And so on, and so on.
I personally think that, although the expansion might indeed have negative effects in the short term, it will cause us all benefit in the long run...
Thoughts?
