Role of the European Union

Background to Its Formation and Members

The European Union (EU) came about as a result of six countries banding together for economic purposes. These six countries were France, West Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. They responded to the Schuman Declaration, which called for an industrial and economic union of powers in Europe within the framework of a supranational community of states. It was aimed at being one part for economic growth and one part for stability and security. Security was important to the EU because WW2 had just been fought in Europe and had caused much loss. The first treaty to really put forward the case for a European Union was the Treaty of Rome in 1957, which stated a need for an ever-closer union among the peoples of Europe (Bagnai et al., 2015). Other treaties followed, including the Masstricht Treaty and the Treaty of Lisbon, which helped to formalize the structure of the EU. Today, there are 28 member states in the EU.

The EU has a strong corporate character in its makeup as it is a supranational organization that challenges the traditional notion of state sovereignty. The EU has sought to integrate the European states into a kind of federation loosely resembling the United States. There is a strong financial incentive for most states to become members, but as the recent Brexit vote in the UK showed, not all members want to remain in the EU. The UK voted to leave the EU out of concerns about globalization and its effects on the state. Voters in the UK wanted to take back their sovereignty and make their own political and economic decisions without being beholden to the European Union Parliament or its rules on immigration, trade, or open borders (Scott, 2016).

Promotion of Economic Relations

Because the EU is linked closely with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), it seeks to develop economic relations with other countries that are outside the EU. It has done so in Africa for years, but it has been hesitant to do so with Zimbabwe. In the early 2000s, the EU suspended direct development cooperation with Zimbabwe. However, in 2014, the EU began engaging in dialogue with Zimbabwe and soon thereafter bilateral development cooperation resumed (EEAS, 2016).

To some extent, the EU pursues economic relations alongside the same course as the US. For example, just as the US has been seeking to develop closer ties with Taiwan, so too has the EU as part of its Indo-Pacific Strategy (Teller Report, 2021). Just as the US sees Chinas presence in the South China Sea as a problem for economic stability, so too does the EU. It sees Chinas growing hegemony in the region as a threat to the EUs economic relations and stability in Europe. Thus, in terms of economy, it plans to diversify its trade relations and develop cooperation with Taiwan and other strategically important fields such as semiconductors (Teller Report, 2021). Yet what one sees in the EU is a corporate characteristic: the EU wants to promote its own economic stability, just as the US does. This is true in its relationship with African nations as well, as recent debate over economic partnership agreements (EPAs) has...

…as well. The big challenge the EU faces is how to provide humanitarian aid in regions where there are political problems and human rights abuses that go against the EUs democratic and egalitarian principles. Yet, even when the EU finds cause to criticize or sanction another state or to apply appropriate measures, it still finds ways to supply humanitarian aid when needed. For instance, in Zimbabwe, the EU has been on the forefront of funding life saving relief such as food, shelter, medical treatment and other items to people affected by natural disasters (EEAS, 2016). The EU needs to find a way to support African states like Zimbabwe without undermining these states at the same time through EPAs that threaten Africas and Zimbabwes sustainability and industrialization.

Recommendations for a Better Union

A better union can be achieved through closer collaboration and understanding. Zimbabwe, for instance, needs to support its own domestic industries and sustainability efforts while simultaneously undertaking government reforms that can show it is serious about progressing in the 21st century. The EU at the same time has to appreciate that to help Africa and Zimbabwe especially it should not demand that tariffs be lifted as these tariffs play an important part in helping African producers grow in their own domestic markets.

The EU has been helpful in supporting sustainability in Africa, but it has also sanctioned states like Zimbabwe over perceived human rights abuses. The EU can help Africa become more democratic by offering economic support and in time this support will pay off. But now is not the time to lift tariffs just yet, for this undermines the…