I think there is no pure economic explanation for most things
European (or American, for that matter). There may also be
a rather larger difference between the average European
and the average European leader with respect to EU power vs
national sovereignty. Certainly the UK is an active voice against loss of excessive
soveriegnty.
The economic history of the EU includes the early beginnings
with coal steel agreements, and the beginnings of a
European Free Trade Zone. However, the economic competition
with the US, which Europe keeps losing (and is doomed to
lose to a greater extent in the future), has their leaders
looking for a magic bullet of economic success. The
Maastricht treaty of Monetary Economic Union was seen
by most of Europe as a way to spread Germany's monetary
stability and strong economy to the rest of Europe.
The benefits: more internal trade, more stable money, much
easier internal travel.
But Germany wouldn't accept a common Euro without the Stability and Growth Pact, which
stipulated maximum budgetary
deficits and a maximum gross gov't debt. The enforcement
of such a pact, when push comes to shove, includes some loss
of sovereignty. Like all treaties, only more so.
And, as Germany France Italy are all on the wrong side
of the Pact, pushing and shoving is starting.
Brief by Tom Grey (from Slovakia, one of the candidate
countrieshoping to join the EU, and NATO, as soon as
possible, and get more foreign investment, and move up soon
from an average wage of $300/month and some 16% unemployment)
-Original Message-
From: fabio guillermo rojas [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2003 3:26 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: European Soveriegnty
Is there an economic explanation of why Europeans seem to want to give up
soveriegnty to the EU or the UN? Fabio