Category Archives: JEOletter Nr. 14 / July 2011

Editorial

The past few days have illustrated how the EU’s role, in the field of economics and business, spans simultaneous struggles to meet massive, destabilising crises, and the concern with incremental attempts to ‘add value’.

Once again, the EU Council at the end of June had to set aside its long-planned agenda in order to grapple with the threats to the Greek economy, the Portuguese economy, and the Euro. The ‘rescue package’ for Greece is so onerous that virtually no Greek regards it as as rescue, only as a condemnation to years of economic misery. The rest of the EU also struggles with the challenge of balancing solidarity (strongly tinged with self-interest, especially in those countries whose banks are heavily exposed to Greek debt) with effectiveness: behind this there looms a nightmarish question. How many fragile economies can be supported, or even rescued successively – and by whom? Continue reading →

Participation levels - image: Adam Crowe (cc: by-nc-sa)

Hervé Pierre Guillot

This article deals with the concept of EU citizenship, presenting briefly the new instrument to foster participative democracy enshrined in the Lisbon Treaty, the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI). It then illustrates how the Commission mainly focuses on Citizens’ rights and finally outlines a project coordinated by OCIPE on “Education and Citizenship in the European Context”.

The Treaty of Maastricht introduced for the first time in the primary law of the EU the concept of “European citizenship”. According to the latest version of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU), “every national of a Member State shall be a citizen of the Union. Citizenship of the Union shall be additional to and not replace national citizenship” (art. 9). Continue reading →

Gentle Monster - image: bsabarnowl (cc: by)

Thorsten Philipp

Hans Magnus Enzensberger passe un savon à la politique européenne.

Quiconque s’intéresse aux perspectives et opinions critiques envers l’Union européenne et ses processus politiques, ne doit pas chercher longtemps pour trouver des arguments. Nombreuses sont généralement les tirades contre “Bruxelles” lancées à la fois dans les journaux, du côté des politiciens et de la part de la société civile.

Mais dans la vaste marée de telles déclarations, un nouvel écrit réclame sans doute une attention particulière – et pas seulement parce qu’il a été écrit par un grand amoureux de l’Europe. Continue reading →

Education - image: HVX Silverstar (cc: by-nd)

Frank Turner

A society’s guiding values are evident in its vision of education. Education systems initiate the young into their culture’s ethos and heritage, so that they may understand and appreciate the richest accomplishments of their civilisation: and (no less), become aware of its blindnesses and limitations, so learning openness to a wider and more various world than their own. Education enables a participation in society that is both creative and properly critical, and is thus at the heart of active citizenship. Exclusion from decent education is a key factor of social marginalisation. Education, whether formal or informal, needs to continue through life as part of ‘personal growth’. Then, because any civilisational project requires the provision of decent livelihoods, education rightly and necessarily prepares the young for economic life. Continue reading →

Quality - image: aithom2 (cc: by-nd)

Henri Madelin

Partout en Europe, la politique est en crise et la démocratie est en peine. L’insatisfaction des populations est grande. Elles la manifestent par des votes pour des partis extrêmes ou “hors système”. Un populisme rempli de colère s’installe un peu partout. Rares sont actuellement les hommes politiques à la hauteur des qualités qu’on aimerait trouver chez eux. Max Weber, un célèbre sociologue allemand, a été hanté par ces questions au sortir de la première guerre mondiale et il s’en est expliqué dans un livre appelé à un grand succès: Le savant et le politique. Continue reading →

Hungarian Presidency

Gergely Ternovszky

As the Hungarian government has passed the presidency to Poland, we may draw some conclusions about its recent mandate, comparing its initiatives and their outcome, examining its reactions to the challenges that suddenly emerged.

It should always be borne in mind that the presidency itself does not provide notable additional rights, or influence in decision-making, for the country holding it. Rather, it imposes tasks of protocol and organisation. Within this framework, we can see what the Hungarian Government found important, as president, to promote for the well-being of the EU. Continue reading →

From Warsaw to Brussels

Dear Brussels,

Looking back at the 1st July, when Poland took over the EU Presidency, I write a ‘Postcard from Warsaw’ rather than a detailed report, focusing on the atmosphere within Polish society at this time.
Today’s Poland is more and more conscious of the advantages of being an EU member state, though no one expects earlier dreams to be fulfilled, either from EU membership itself or from Poland’s EU presidency. The Presidency will first have to face the Greek debt crisis, in a European Union that struggles against growing pressures on public finance, as well as the current migration pressures within the Schengen area, whilst simultaneously being challenged by the revolutions in the Arab states. Some commentators fear a presidency of excessive caution, others that an element of infighting in Poland, as national elections draw near, might tarnish the image of the country. Nevertheless, Poland has made significant progress over the past two decades, and the transition from a totalitarian system to democracy will be symbolised remarkably by its assumption of the Presidency. Continue reading →

50 years ago

Le travail du dimanche dans les pays du Marché commun
Lettre de l’OCIPE n° 8, juin 1961, pp. 11-14.
Claude Debbichi

Le 20 juin 2011, a été officiellement lancée l’”European Sunday Alliance”. Regroupant 65 organisations de la société civile européenne (associations, syndicats, Eglises), elle veut promouvoir la valeur du temps libre synchronisé (symbolisé par le congé du dimanche) dans nos sociétés. Et se faire entendre dans le cadre de la révision de la directive européenne sur le temps de travail. Mais la question n’est pas neuve…

“Le travail du dimanche est l’un des problèmes sociaux auxquels la Communauté économique européenne peut être prochainement appelée à s’intéresser. Nous voudrions indiquer ici dans quels termes le problème se pose actuellement. [juin 1961 NDLR]
Dans les six pays de la CEE, l’évolution sociale, du 19e siècle à nos jours, a joué en faveur de la limitation du temps de travail hebdomadaire mais aussi, dans l’ensemble, en faveur du repos dominical. Le repos hebdomadaire du dimanche a été établi comme règle générale. Les dérogations à cette règle avaient jusqu’à présent un caractère exceptionnel. Elles n’étaient admises que dans des cas relativement limités. […] Continue reading →